Le Beau et le Monstre
by NakanoHana
Summary: UNDERGOING EDITS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE 9/26/12. What do you do when you're alone in the world; when no one can accept you for who you are? They say misery loves company, but neither thought that in their misery they would also find love. fluffy. angst. akurokuness. And a side pairing that shall be left a mystery. Beauty and the Beast
1. 1

I do not own KH or Beauty and the Beast in any way, shape, or form. This is purely for fun, and playing around with what creativity I've got.

Please enjoy, and review, as I shamelessly twist more precious childhood memories and stick akuroku into the equation :)

Ages: Roxas-16, Axel-20

* * *

Soleil was like any other little farming village in the valley. Small town, relatively friendly people, and enough natural beauty to please any man for the rest of his life. By far, the sunrise was the most beautiful. It was breathtaking to watch the soft, red glow spread over the town, warming the valley and casting long shadows over the tiny houses. The glow was especially beautiful as it set over the wildflowers, each of them sparkling with the dew that gathered in the fields...

At the far end of the village stood a lone house, built of old but sturdy wood. It was somewhat isolated from town by a small stream, over which a quaint little bridge crossed the gap. The house itself was big and beautiful, with a barn and a long picket fence that stretched around the land where the animals could roam and graze as they pleased.

But it was not the house itself that drew the talk of the town.

Standing up slowly and brushing off his clothes, a young blonde took one more look at the brilliant sunrise before beginning his morning chores. He fed the livestock, the chickens and his faithful horse, then fetched water from the old well to tend the crops. It was almost mid fall, and though his father had planted a bit late because of the move, the crops seemed to be doing very well. They were about ready to harvest.

Satisfied with his work, the boy wiped away the sweat beading on his brow and considered the time. That had taken him only about an hour and a half; the sun was now hanging lazily just above the mountains. Smiling at a job well done, Roxas walked up the steps to the front door and came inside.

As soon as he opened the door, the scent of freshly baked bread and cooked eggs assaulted his senses. Sure enough, in the kitchen, his father was bent over the old stove, frying pan in one hand while his other was preoccupied with a strange device. His latest invention, no doubt.

"Morning, Father..." The boy moved to the table, spotting a glass of juice set out for him on the table. He drank it quickly, sighing pleasantly at the refreshing coolness.

"You should drink more milk, Roxas." The man fiddled with what looked like a spatula with strange attachments nailed into it. "It's good for strong bones, and it'll help you grow a little taller."

The blond rolled his eyes, sitting down at the table. "With all due respect, Father, it never seemed to make a difference with you."

"Don't talk back, Roxas. Didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your elders?"

Roxas grinned, reaching for a piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table.

"No. In fact, you taught me to always challenge my elders." Age and wisdom was important, but old people were far from infallible. Vexen smiled knowingly.

"Quiet, smart alec. You're lucky I haven't beaten yo- Woah!"

Roxas looked up from his plate, the large slice of bread half in his mouth, and just barely ducked in time as an egg was hurled at his head. It shattered on the wall right behind him, its shell and yolk slowly oozing down the wall. Vexen was frantically waving the spatula around now, trying to stop the malfunctioning device.

"Roxas, get over here and give me a hand, would you?"

The boy nodded, taking the bread out of his mouth and leaving it on the plate. He grabbed the top of a cooking pot and held it up like a shield as he charged over to help...

Several minutes, and smashed eggs later, the younger blond slumped back into his chair, looking a little disgusted as he combed through his spikes looking for shells and yolks. Vexen, looking equally disheveled, took off his apron and came over to the table as well, bringing the frying pan with him.

"I believe this one isn't ready for the fair..." Roxas raised a golden eyebrow at him, looking incredulous.

"What was your first indication?" He resumed his toast with vigor. "That monster would sooner get you arrested than win first prize."

Vexen chuckled lightly, taking a regular spatula and scooping the eggs they'd salvaged onto the plate. "Perhaps you're right. Luckily I have a few other experiments in the cellar that could work for this occasion. With a few tweaks here and there..."

"What's the theme for this year? I'm sure you mentioned it, but I can't remember."

The man paused a moment, thinking aloud. "I believe it was 'homes of tomorrow.' I need to bring something that will help make people's everyday lives easier."

"How about you invent something so that people can milk cows without having to use their hands, or something that chops firewood for you really quickly, so you have plenty for the winter..." The blond groaned internally at the latter. There weren't many trees directly in the village, so when it came time to chop firewood, they would have to go all the way to the forest at the foot of the mountains. The woods were dark and mysterious, and Roxas was well-content to stay away from them.

"All good ideas, son. I've taught you well," Vexen laughed, ruffling Roxas's hair softly. "You've got a good head on your shoulders." He frequently liked to claim that the boy had gotten all his smarts from him. He would also joke that fortunately, Roxas had received all his looks from his mother. The boy hadn't really gotten the chance to know his mother; she had fallen ill after his birth and died shortly after.

But even without his mother's presence, Roxas didn't want for anything. His father had more than enough love and care for him.

Vexen then cleared his throat, drawing his attention. "I need a few things for my latest project, and if I recall correctly, you still have a book you need to return to the bookshop. Could you go into town today and pick up the tools for me?"

"If I must..." He lowered his eyes to the shiny surface of the table, sighing. "I really don't like it there. Most of the people are nice, I suppose, but the rest act like we're odd..." The land was very beautiful, much nicer than the city. But the people who lived there seemed very distant, especially given that Vexen and his son were new.

The village sons trained at young ages to be blacksmiths, farmers, butchers, and such, and woman went on to take care of the home and family. Everyone worked to give to the community. Vexen was strictly an inventor, leaving most of the farm work to his son, and Roxas had no particular trade that he'd been learning since birth. He wasn't interested in much aside from reading, but he followed his passions.

Neither of them had a set place, a role that others depended upon, and the village was not terribly happy about it. Roxas's only saving grace was that he was young, attractive, and friendly. The women in town were always gossiping, torn between introducing him to their daughters and worrying that he was a strange, mentally-unstable inventor like his father...

Vexen sighed again. "I'm sure you're just imagining it, Roxas. The people here are...a little old-fashioned, that's all. They live by what they know, and what they know probably hasn't changed significantly in hundreds of years."

"I guess you're right. I just...feel like I'll never fit in here." The boy twirled his fork around his plate, scrapping around the last bits of egg. "I don't like people looking at me like that."

His father placed a hand on his shoulder, pressing firmly. "I know it's hard at first, son. It takes time to get adjusted, but once we do, I'm sure things will be just fine."

The younger blond couldn't help but roll his eyes. _  
_

"And besides, that boy Seifer seemed interested in getting to know you."

Roxas instantly gagged, his eyes going wide. He choked on air for a moment while his father patted his back. Once he'd regained his composure, the boy rounded on Vexen, blue eyes gleaming angrily.

"Seifer is an idiot and a bully! I want nothing to do with him!"

Seifer was a popular young man in town, who was training with his father to become the next village guardian. His job was to protect the people from any potential threats, and he was to be responsible for organizing any mass hunting expeditions when the overall town food supply ran low. More aggravating to Roxas, Seifer was the arrogant heartthrob of the village. _Every _girl wanted to marry him, and even some of the young men. It was clearly going to the man's head; he strutted all over town with his two cronies, showing off...

It was disgusting and embarrassing.

Roxas wouldn't have minded as much if the boy didn't suddenly take an interest in _him._ Seifer had begun pursuing him when he went into town, making uncomfortable passes at him in sight of the whole village...

Vexen shrugged, standing and collecting the plates and silverware.

"Well, you can go out whenever you're ready. I suggest you bathe first, though. You've still got some egg in your hair..."

Grumbling some more, Roxas nodded curtly and stalked off to his room.

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

Roxas walked quickly through town, tugging the strap of his bag up awkwardly as he tried to ignore the eyes of the people around him. The market was bustling at this time of day, and the air was filled with delicious smells and the sounds of shouting, bargaining men and women. The boy would have enjoyed it more, being reminded of his old life in the city, but he felt uncomfortable when he caught the little conversations from the surrounding stalls and shops.

"Isn't that the inventor's boy?"

"Yes, it is. I saw the smoke coming from his chimney at dawn; I wonder what his father is building now?"

"Hmph! Something stupid, no doubt! The man couldn't build a hammer from a rock."

Roxas's temper sizzled. He wanted to defend his father, violently, if necessary, but held back, rubbing the throbbing vein on his forehead in annoyance. His father wouldn't be happy with him if he started a fight over something so trivial. It would not improve their social status in town either...

So he kept walking, clutching at his bag and wishing he could nail his ears shut.

"What a shame. Such a lovely complexion...and those _eyes_..."

"It's no wonder Seifer fancies him. The boy is quite attractive..."

"I wish Seifer would pay attention to me! What makes that brat so special?"

The boy nearly choked again. The girl who had spoken last was Kairi, the daughter of the poor old taylor living on the corner, right next door to the bakery. She wasn't a very bright girl, and had a nasty side when her mother wasn't around.

What nonsense...

Thanking the gods, Roxas ducked into his favorite bookshop, instantly greeted by the smell of dust and ink. This was the only sizable bookshop in town, but Roxas loved browsing the shelves for hours, even rereading old novels that he doubted anyone from town had read in years.

"Good morning!...Oh, Roxas! It's good to see you back here again!"

The blond looked around for a moment, seeing no one there by any of the shelves or at the desk. The kind old bookkeeper sat up slowly from behind the desk, smiling genuinely.

"Good morning, Madame Leclair..."

"It's good to see your smiling face again. Now, dear, what is it I can do for you today?"

Roxas smiled still as he unslung the bag from his shoulder and set it on the floor. Of all the people in town, the only one who didn't seem to judge him for his habits was this sweet old woman who worked in the lonely bookshop on the far side of town. Maybe it was because he often kept her company and helped her with the store when he had some time. Or maybe she was just too old to care about such things anymore.

"I have this book I need to return, ma'am.." he replied, pulling it out carefully. "Have you seen any other customers today?"

Madame Leclair smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not, my boy. It's a real shame too, that we're the only ones who can appreciate a good book in this old town...but alas, that's not something I can help, is it?..." She drifted off for a moment, lost in thought, before getting up and walking to his side, placing her rough, old hands over his lightly where he held the book. "So did you like this one, Roxas?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I really did! Fairytales and mysteries are my favorites." This particular book combined those two genres very nicely. It had a genuine twist in the ending, and Roxas hated putting it down.

The old woman smiled kindly. "That's wonderful. I'm glad you enjoyed it..." Instead of taking the book back from him, she merely pushed it back into his hands. The little blond's eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion as she chuckled. "If you like it that much, it's yours..."

Roxas's eyes widened. "Oh! No, no, I couldn't..."

"Yes you can," she replied calmly, smiling as she patted him softly on the head. "It's mine to give, and I want you to have it. All it will do around here is sit and gather dust, like me. It deserves to be taken care of, cherished, and read by someone who loves it." When the blond still looked a tad unsure, she added, "Call it a gift. A gift from an _old _friend..."

"Thank you so much!"

Before he could get caught up in another book talk with her, Roxas remembered that he had to be back soon, or his father would wonder. So he said good bye and hurried out the door.

On the way to the market again, Roxas cracked the book open and began rereading as he walked, heart swelling a little. This was one of the nicest gifts he'd ever gotten, and he felt happy knowing that at least _someone _in this place understood him a little.

He didn't make it far, however, before he collided with something big and hard, and Roxas yelped as he toppled backwards and fell, his book landing on its spine and thudding int he dirt. Rubbing his back side and wincing a little, he prepared to apologize...before the words caught in his throat and his apologetic look changed into a scowl.

"Well, well, well. Just the person I was looking for."


	2. 2

Yay, another chapter! I'm thinking about possibly changing the rating later on, depending on where relationships go... I've never written sex scenes before, and am still pretty hesitant to try one just because of that (that and it seems awkward ^w^u), but if you'd like me to try my hand at it, you can say so in the reviews. I'm still waiting on some reviews btw...the favs and story alerts are awesome, but pleaz, if u have a second, let me know how I'm doing. It helps. :)

* * *

Roxas glared at the hand offered to him.

"What the hell do _you_ want, Seifer?"

The older blond just smirked cockily, flashing his perfect teeth in what Roxas guessed was supposed to be a seductive manner.

"You really ought to look where you're going, Roxas. You should stop burying your nose in books all the time. Life is meant to be lived."

The younger boy scowled at him, standing up on his own and brushing the dust and dirt off of himself.

"As much as I love being lectured about my hobbies, I don't have time," Roxas said impatiently. He picked up his book, inspecting it quickly for damage before putting it gently in his bag. It's spine was bent, but thankfully the pages were fine. Books only really needed to be legible, but the blonde preferred to take care of them, keeping them in great condition, especially if it was a library book._  
_

And this one was a gift.

Not sparing a second glance at the arrogant prat, Roxas turned quickly and began walking back the other way. He would just find another way to get back to the market, one without unwelcome company.

He hadn't made it very far when suddenly a firm hand caught him by the wrist and jerked him, surprisingly roughly, towards a back alley. "Hey!" Roxas yelped and struggled, only then registering that he was being squished between a wall and a firm chest.

"What's your hurry, beautiful? Come to the gallery and take a look at my trophies-"

"I'd rather not," Roxas said flatly. He tried to tug his arm away. "Let go, Seifer. I'm busy."

The older boy sneered. "Surely you have time for a drink? A cool bit of ale, or maybe- ?"

"In the middle of the day? I have work to do!" he protested.

"Oh? What kind of work? I have some for you, if you're interested. I'd even be willing to pay," Seifer purred in his ear, one hand holding Roxas firmly against him while the other...began to wander. Roxas's eyes went wide, and he squirmed uncomfortably in the older boy's grasp, slapping the offending hand away. It didn't deter Seifer very much.

Now he was beginning to fear. The older blonde was being flirty, as usual, but unusually bold; he wasn't respecting Roxas or his personal space _at all. _They were isolated, away from the crowd, not that Roxas would have readily relied on anyone's help. But a bad feeling fluttered in his stomach, worsening when Seifer smirked, clearly enjoying his discomfort.

"Seifer, please let go," he tried calmly. "I need to run my errand and go home. My father's waiting for me."

He got a haughty laugh in reply.

"How old are you, Roxas? Really, you can stay out a little while without _him_, can't you? That old coot is rubbing off on you in the worst way."

Blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't you dare talk about my father!"

The older boy just smirked casually, leaning closer to him, if that was at all possible. "Forget about him, Roxy. Come on. I'll show you a _good_ time."

"ROXY?!"

"Cute, isn't it? Come on! Come with me!"

"No, thank you! I'm asking once more, nicely, let me go, Seifer!"

Roxas let out an indignant squeak when he felt the wandering hand move daringly lower. His cheeks burned, and to his horror, he could see a small crowd of townspeople approaching, several men and some women now staring at the two of them directly. They must have come along when he wasn't paying attention. The people were watching with curious, some mischievous eyes, and whispering but making no move to help him. He doubted they would even if he had called for them.

Everyone in town treated him like a joke...

The boy's surprise and embarrassment quickly turned to anger, and he growled threateningly when Seifer continued molesting him, undeterred by the audience or his captive's struggles.

A second later, Roxas felt the wandering hand squeeze his ass, and his eye twitched. His already fragile patience snapped completely.

The boy brought his foot down hard on the older boy's toes and used the ensuing confusion and pain to shove with all his might. Seifer stumbled back with a grunt, his back meeting the adjacent wall, and the smaller blonde rushed forward, kneeing him in the gut. He went down like a felled tree, crashing to the ground and banging his head on the building.

A few people gasped, murmuring unpleasant, indecent things, but Roxas ignored them, still seething at the fallen bully.

"If you touch me again, or say anything about my father, I swear to you, Seifer, I will beat you bloody! Got it?!"

The crowd gave Roxas a wide berth as he turned to leave, hurrying out of the alley as quickly as he could. Several of the older men whistled, heckling the younger boy as he left, and others shot Seifer a sympathetic look before they began to disperse as well. Soon, everyone had gone back about their business, leaving the village protector to himself.

Seifer pulled himself up, leaning against the wall for support, pouting thoroughly.

"Maybe you should leave him alone, y'know?"

Seifer turned to see his two trusted companions walking through the alleyway to meet him. Where had they been when he was trying to seduce Roxas?

He crossed his arms and frowned.

"You two are late! I thought I said we would meet here at exactly two o'clock!" This 'meeting' did not go as well as planned. He had hoped to leave with Roxas on his arm.

Fuu shrugged, examining her nails. "Busy."

"Yeah! We had some stuff to do, y'know? Didn't look like you needed us...well, maybe at the end there."

Seifer smirked, cocking his head to the side. "It was totally worth it..."

Raijin, or Rai as most people knew him, was a burly, muscular boy with dark hair and tanned skin. He was about as muscular as Seifer, but not nearly as bright, which was really saying something. He gave little thought to anything that came out of his mouth.

Fuu, on the other hand, was short and pale and had little to no muscle whatsoever, not even the muscle that most village women bulked up. Her clothes always looked too baggy on her stick-thin figure, but what she lacked in strength she made up for in brains and cunning. Quiet and shy, even to the point that sometimes she was completely unnoticeable, speaking only when it was necessary and saying a great deal in the fewest possible words.

Rai scratched his head. "I don't see _how_ he's worth it, Seifer. The kid's a total weirdo, and it's obvious he doesn't like ya, y'know?"

Seifer grabbed him by the collar and jerked him forward roughly.

"Roxas isn't weird," he snarled, raising a fist and curling it just an inch from his cohort's face. "He's perfect. Got it?"

"Y-Yeah. Sure, man. Whatever you say."

For a moment, neither boy moved. Seifer just stared at his friend, his eyes cold, angry, and serious. Then, in a split second, the tense air disapated, and Seifer turned and started walking out to the main street, his friends hesitating only a moment before following behind him. They were always right in step, and if not, he snapped them to it.

"It's not your fault, y'know? That's all I meant to say!" Rai added, seeing the blonde narrow his eyes at him from the corners. "There's got to be something wrong with _him_, y'know? I mean, you're the most popular guy in the whole town!"

Seifer just growled and kept walking. All this talking was giving him a headache, and that just made him mad. He didn't need to think about it at all. He would have Roxas; it was as simple as that. He always got what he wanted.

"Choose another."

The blond stopped when Fuu spoke, turning to face her and raising an eyebrow. Rai chimed in a second later.

"Yeah, just pick someone else, man. You could have any girl in the village, Seifer. Hell, if you want a pretty guy, there are plenty of guys that'd kill to hook up with ya! Why're ya wasting your time on a loser like that, y'know?"

Seifer didn't speak. He didn't even have to think about that answer.

From the moment Roxas and his father had moved to the quiet little town, they had stirred up quite a bit of attention from the villagers. There was so much gossip passing around that Seifer, who originally couldn't have cared less about some new family moving to the edge of the village, eventually got curious and decided to go take a look for himself.

He hadn't expected to find Roxas so attractive. The little blond was truly beautiful, in a frail, almost feminine sort of way; he was very enticing. The maids all over town could not decide whether to court or belittle him, jealous and fickle as they were. Of course, he never took notice of these attentions, good or bad. Roxas was either ignorant or he just didn't care, because it didn't appear to affect him one bit. All the more room for Seifer to try his hand.

He loved a challenge most of all, and Roxas presented exactly that. A beautiful, feisty little challenge; all the more satisfying when conquered at last.

With all of that, he could easily ignore the fact that Roxas was a little bit odd. His personality was flawed, of course, but it was nothing Seifer couldn't tame with time. Even the wildest horse could be broken. In his mind, the boy was perfect, and Seifer never settled for anything less than perfection.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was late afternoon by the time Roxas made it back to the farm, panting a little as he hauled in the heavy tools he'd been carrying for the past hour. When he reached the cellar, he dropped everything onto the ground with a loud thud, uncaring where any of it went. He groaned, leaning against the wood frame and sliding down into a seated position, his head firmly in his hands.

"Okay, I'll bite. What happened this time?"

Roxas looked up as his father came in, wearing dusty old trousers and workmen's gloves. Vexen settled himself down by one of his experiments, hammering away at one of the extra attachments. From a young age, Roxas knew that his father listened the best, and gave the best advice, while he was tinkering.

The boy growled at the memories of the day.

"Everything was going fine until _he_ had to show up!"

"Seifer again?" his father asked, though it sounded more like a statement than a question.

"I can't stand that cocky bastard! He thinks he's so great, that everyone in this village would gladly whore themselves out for him!" Roxas snorted at that. "They probably would...But I'm not like that!" The young blond fumed, crossing his arms and pouting.

Vexen chuckled. "He made a pass at you, I take it..."

"HE GROPED ME! RIGHT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE! THAT BASTARD GROPED ME!" Roxas exclaimed, his cheeks heating up furiously. He felt a sob building up in his throat and choked it back with some effort. "I've never been so humiliated in my entire life!"

His father sighed. He knew that Roxas was a usually a smiling, outspoken, and carefree boy, but when he was emotional, his feelings were as clear as if he wore them on his sleeve. The move had been rough on both of them, but Roxas even more so, and now he seemed much more quiet and shy, reserved even around his father.

Vexen thought the country life and fresh air would do them both some good. His health was failing, and he wasn't as young as he used to be. But Roxas was miserable and lonely; he'd made no friends, save for the lady at the bookshop, and while the chores could keep him busy most of the day, nothing could stop the boy's mind from wandering. Wandering to his old life, his old home and friends...

The man wished with all his heart that Roxas could be happy again. He wished he knew how to make it so, but he was only one man. One old, tired, withered man.

Vexen got up and came to Roxas's side slowly, placing a hand comfortingly on the boy's shoulder. He heard a soft sigh as the messy blond head buried itself in his chest, and they embraced one another. His son spoke softly.

"I just want to go home...I hate it here. These people are horrid. I miss my old friends..."

"Roxas..." The older blond smiled softly, lifting his son's chin so that he was looking him in the eyes. There were a few stray tears there, and Vexen sighed again, wiping them away with a tender hand.

"This is our home now, son. It's just the way it is, and since we're here, we might as well make the best of things."

"But what if no one ever accepts me?" Roxas asked, his voice rising a little.

"Things will be fine, Roxas. You've always been a good, strong, kind-hearted person, and that will take you far." He patted the boy on the head, chuckling a little. "And you'll always have me. Even if you grow old and decrepit just like me, alone, I'll always be here." He touched a hand to Roxas's chest, placing it over his heart.

Roxas's mouth twitched up into a small smile of his own. He snorted. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

After a few minutes they broke away, and Vexen returned to his work on the strange experiment again. Roxas sat down in a chair, watching in silence for a few minutes, folding his arms over the back of the chair and twiddling his fingers absently.

"I guess it'll be fine," he said quietly, staring at his fidgeting fingers, "I haven't exactly given this place a fair chance...But I will never get used to Seifer. I wish I could make him leave me be. No matter what I do or say, he bothers me!"

As to that, his father had no answer. He merely shrugged, reaching for the wrench in his toolkit, still tinkering away.

"That's something I'll let you figure out on your own. You know better than anyone how stubborn people can be."

Roxas raised an eyebrow then.

"You seem unusually calm about him molesting me."

"Well, it's not as though you are a delicate, defenseless maiden," Vexen replied. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry for both our sakes, but I have faith that you can handle things fine on your own."

"Fair enough." Roxas made a mental note to himself to carry a knife or some sort of makeshift weapon with him, just in case. "I swore I would beat him if he ever touched me again, but I'm tempted to do it, provoked or not!...But you wouldn't be too happy if I did that, right? "

Vexen shrugged again.

"Do whatever you feel you have to. As your father, I can't say I like that very much...Violence is rarely the answer. But I understand...Just try not to resort to anything illegal."

The little blond snorted, playfully frowning at him. "You're no fun."

"Read my parenting manuel. I'm not supposed to be fun." he retorted, smirking at him before he went around the back of the machine. Roxas just stuck out his tongue in reply.

"You could lie and say that you fancy women."

"I doubt _that _would stop him from trying to molest me. But I'm surprised that in a town _this _old-fashioned, he hasn't been stoned for flirting openly with men." Roxas was grimly sure that he had flirted with most of the young, attractive, eligible townsfolk. The prat may have even slept with some of them, though thankfully, most people had the decency not to gossip about it.

"Well," Vexen replied, looking somewhat pensive, "His family's been here longer than we have, and his father_ is_ the town's guardian. Ever if people were against it, his father probably wouldn't tolerate any grief about it. But from what little you've told me about some of the other boys in town, I hardly think there's anyone outright opposed to it..."

Roxas sighed. He didn't want to think about it anymore, and his father seemed to understand, catching his mood even without looking at him. A steady, comfortable silence followed, as the young blond examined the strange contraption before him. It was huge and fat, towering over both of them, even standing, and was made of metal and wood. Roxas eyed the axe sticking out of the side nervously.

"If this turns out anything like this morning, I hope you've saved up enough for our medical bills."

"Come now! Have a little more faith in me, Roxas! This baby is perfectly solid and well-mannered," he said confidently, hitting its side lightly with his fist for emphasis. A loud hiss suddenly screamed from the machine, and Vexen flinched away as both he and Roxas covered their ears. When the sound stopped, he let out a small, embarrassed laugh. "Well, _mostly_..."

Seeing his father preparing to start the thing up, Roxas quickly got up and ran around to the other side of the table, hoping to put some distance between himself and the giant, hulking monstrosity. He had gotten plenty of bruises, bumps, and scrapes from helping his father in the past.

"Don't expect me to charge in to help you this time. You're on your own!"

Vexen chuckled, albeit with a hint of nervousness, and Roxas watched with wide, curious eyes.

"What's this thing going to do anyway?"

Vexen smiled over his shoulder, pressing a small button on the side of the machine. "I took your idea and decided to mess around with one of my already half-finished projects. I'm trying to see if this thing will chop wood on its own. If it works, I might actual win a decent place at the fair."

Once the loud, hissing steam began to rise again, Vexen darted to his son's side and watched intently. The gears were a little rusty, so they moved slowly at first, but soon the machine was all revved up, the axe swinging up and down in an easy, fluent motion. It easily hacked the log before it in half, sending the pieces to the floor where they neatly began to pile next to each other.

Roxas grinned.

"I think it's working!"

"It also has wheels underneath, so it can be steered or move on its own if needed! I tweaked them so that the wheels will even run on the grass!" Vexen shouted back so that he could be heard over the roaring machine.

"That's great, Father! And even better, we're both still alive!"

His father laughed, pulling the boy into a firmer, more animated hug, ruffling his already messy hair. Roxas laughed back, swatting at the man's hands before he broke away and pointed back to the machine.

"Now that that's been settled, how do we turn this thing off?"

Vexen blinked, looking suddenly very embarrassed. It hadn't occurred to him to put in a separate button for the off switch.

"...Eh...I'm not entirely sure..."


	3. 3

It was a while before they could figure out how to turn the large contraption off, but the two managed it without injuries or breaking Vexen's good mood. Within the hour, his sure-to-be award-winning entry was loaded onto the old cart and hitched to Proulx, ready to go to the fair.

"Are you sure you'll be alright? Couldn't you wait another day?" Roxas asked as he handed his father a small parcel of food for the trip. Vexen smiled, patting his head.

"You worry too much, son. I'll be fine. Besides, the fair is in two days, and the trip to it takes at least one, even with a horse!" It was, however, a shorter ride from the village than it had been from their city. Vexen went to it every few years; even more frequently, if he could afford to. He loved to learn about others' innovations and how technology and alchemy were progressing. Who knew what turn it would take next?

Roxas nodded, but didn't look any happier about it.

"But do you have to go in _there_?"

The boy motioned stiffly with his head towards the woods nestled just at the foot of the mountains. As he did so, a light breeze blew through the air, and from the trees a small cloud of black birds burst skyward, 'cawing' and shrieking as they flew. Roxas made a face as he scanned the line of dead-looking trees, but Vexen smiled and shook his head.

"It's just a forest, Roxas. Nothing to fret over. I'll be back in a week and a half at the latest, I promise..."

The boy sighed and nodded again, stepping back away from the cart to watch from the fence. Vexen gave him a reassuring smile and a small wave, which Roxas half-heartedly returned.

With that, the man clicked his tongue and snapped the reins, spurring his little caravan into motion. He turned the horse slowly down the path to the woods. Halfway down, he twisted in the driver's seat, knowing that the little blonde was still watching him, worried. It was silly, of course, but the boy meant well and Vexen was touched by his concern.

"Behave while I'm gone! Take care!" He called. "If you see Seifer, try not to beat him senseless!"

Roxas still looked anxious, but he managed a smile as he cupped his hands over his mouth and hollered back.

"No promises! Y_ou_ better take care of yourself!"

The boy leaned back against the picket fence, sighing as he watched the tiny speck move closer and closer to the foreboding forest. He shivered a little and crossed his arms, hoping to dispel the sudden chill. It was just his imagination. The forest wouldn't swallow them up, never to be seen again.

...Still...

"Please," he whispered, watching the wagon disappear from sight,"Please be careful..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Vexen sighed and shook his head, cursing himself for this mess. He now wandered aimlessly through the dark forest, shivering and wet as the rain poured down on his from above, drenching him to the bone. The sun had set not long ago, making it even more difficult to navigate around the dead trees and shrubs without a decent path to follow.

Proulx walked beside him faithfully, the reins resting gently on his neck, but the horse's ears twitched back nervously at the slightest noise. The occasional yet increasingly frequent wolf howls echoing through the forest did not help to settle either of their nerves.

"How did I get myself into this?" Vexen asked the horse grimly. Proulx said nothing, of course, and the man sighed solemnly.

If Roxas knew, he would be saying "I told you so." Either that, or worrying himself sick. The latter was more likely.

A flash of lightning caught Vexen's eye, its resounding thunder causing him and the horse to startle slightly. As he looked up, Vexen swore he saw towers...a castle not too far in the distance, built into the side of the mountain. A remarkable structure...

Rubbing his eyes to make sure, the old man then turned to his horse again.

"That might be our best bet. Let's see if we can get lodgings for the night." Vexen patted the gelding's neck softly, reassuring him as they walked.

"Easy, boy. Would you rather have a warm stable and dry hay, or damp grass to sleep on all night?"

The horse snorted, pawing the ground lightly. Vexen laughed, if only to act more brave than he felt himself.

"Well, _I _need something, at least. Not as young as I used to be, you know..."

The castle was closer than he thought; once they reached it, he saw that there was a little bridge over the gap between the land they stood on and the mountain the castle stood on. Vexen hesitantly pushed the heavy gate open, and just inside he began to undo the cart and harness, letting the horse rest a little. But Proulx was getting more and more uncomfortable by the minute, and he danced skittishly while Vexen's cold, wet fingers shakily undid the harness.

"Calm down, boy. I've almost got them off."

But another bolt of lightning struck just as he finished, and the horse reared up and almost knocked him over. He dove out of the way of the hooves, watching as the gelding bucked and shifted free of his bindings, then bolted back out the gate in fright.

"Proulx! Come back!"

But the horse paid no heed, galloping back down the path and into the dark forest. He was long gone, the pounding of his hooves fading into the distance, and in a sudden gust of wind, the gate swung shut behind him, startling the old man.

A loud howl rose up from the trees then, and Vexen shuddered.

He could only hope that the horse could find his way back home, safe and sound. Proulx was a good, faithful horse, if a little cowardly; hopefully he would not be eaten by wolves. Roxas would be devastated if that happened. The horse was one of his few ever-present joys in their new life on the farm._  
_

Sighing and rubbing his chilled arms, Vexen continued on into the castle, pulling the heavy wooden door open, then shut behind him. It was dark, but through the occasional flashing from the windows, he could tell that he was in the main hall. As his eyes adjusted, Vexen noticed doors around the room, and a large marble staircase in the middle of the room. The ceiling was vaulted, high over his head, dark but for a few places where the delicate paint had chipped.

"Hello?" he called loudly, though partially hoping he wasn't disturbing whoever lived here. His voice was hoarse, sore and croaking slightly. "Can someone help me?"

"And how might we assist you?" a friendly, almost chipper voice replied.

Vexen glanced around quickly, looking for the owner of that voice. But as far as he could see, there was no one there...

"Where...where are you? I don't see you?"

"You would if you only looked down," said a more irritable voice.

Vexen looked down, and almost jumped out of his skin. Right as his feet stood a small clock and candelabra, seemingly left there at random. He could have sworn that was where he heard the voices coming from...but that couldn't be. Vexen reached down and picked up the clock, eyeing it curiously. Had they been sitting there the whole time?

The clock was very peculiar, he noticed, with its face almost carved like a human one. It had two eyes, narrowed as if in annoyance, that suddenly blinked.

"Would you mind putting me down now?"

The old man flinched, almost dropping the clock.

"Yes, I'm a talking clock," it said irritably, making him shake a little, "Now that we have that cleared up that mystery, can you put me down now?"

"Oh, sorry..." Vexen set him down slowly, noticing that the candelabra beside him also had eyes and a face seemingly etched into the candlestick. But this object smiled brightly at him, and it radiated kindness and enthusiasm whereas the clock seemed to radiate annoyance. "Remarkable..."

"Why, thank you! My name is Demyx," the candelabra chirped happily, catching him by surprise. How many objects here possessed the power of speech? "It's been so long since someone's come to visit us at the castle!"

"Don't get too comfortable!" the clock added quickly. "The Master isn't too keen on guests. So whatever you need, we will see about accomodating you. But take it and be on your way!"

"Oh, Luxord, you old cog, don't be so stiff! He's our guest!"

"Excuse me," Vexen tried, jumping a little when both objects turned quickly to look at him. So they could move as well.

"I don't like him. He looks pretty shady to me," the clock whispered, none too subtly. "He's wet and filthy! No doubt infested with germs!"

The candelabra glared at him. "How rude! This man has come to us for help! He's the first person we've seen in who knows how long, and you go about barking insults at him! What happened to your sense of hospitality? Of generosity?"

"Hmmmph. A fool, however generous, is a poor one at best, and a dead one at worst. What if he came here to steal, or to harm the Master somehow?"

"You and your suspicions! Who could harm Ax-"

"Don't!" The little clock leapt forward, slapping a "hand" over the candelabra's mouth. "Don't speak so informally! The Master won't tolerate that behavior!"

"Excuse me?" Vexen tried again, slowly accepting the fact that two inanimate, household objects were having an argument right in front of him. "What exactly _are _you two? I've never seen anything like you before."

Now over his initial fear, Vexen found he was fascinated by them. How was anyone able to give their inanimate objects voices and personalities of their own? Surely this was exactly what he was looking for! Household objects that could work themselves and do all the chores that people found too difficult. Vexen reached out a hand to touch the clock again...

"Never you mind," the clock said stiffly, swatting at his hand. "Just tell us what you want and be on your way. And be quick about it."

"Well," he began, "I was on my way to the fair; the only road there from where I live is through this forest. I got lost, and have been wandering in circles for several hours. I just lost my horse at the gate, and I am cold, weary, and tired. I was hoping I could..." he shivered violently, and reached up to rub his nose. "find a place to stay for the night..."

The clock immediately moved to argue, but the candelabra burned him, causing him to yelp instead. Both objects glared at each other, and Vexen held up his hands defensively.

"Please, I don't want to cause anyone any trouble. I'll be on my way as soon as it's light, and-" He was cut off by a sudden painful cough, and sat still for a moment to get a hold of himself. When the coughing stopped, he held his shoulders and shivered.

"Oh no! You poor man, you're soaked through to the skin! Of course you can stay!" Demyx hopped forward. "Stay as long as you like! We wouldn't want you going back out there with a cold like that!"

"Demyx! What are you saying? The Master will be furious!"

The candelabra scoffed. "He's not going to be furious! He doesn't even have to-"

A sudden, deafening roar shook the castle, and the three started as a large shadow burst through the west door, then bounded down the stairs, its green eyes flashing dangerously as it approached.

"Now you've done it..." Luxord whispered, hiding behind Vexen as the shadow stopped right in front of them. It was enormous, towering high over the bent old man. The shape was dark and jagged, and its eyes narrowed into thin slits, the pupils almost entirely invisible. Vexen gasped and took a step back, trembling violently as the creature growled.

It wasn't human. It was some kind of monster.

"What are you two doing?" the voice boomed angrily. "Who let this stranger in here?"

Without a word, the clock skidded away quickly down the hall, leaving an exasperated candelabra glaring after him. But Demyx stayed still, rubbing his "hands" together guiltily.

"Well, you see, Axel..."

The eyes flashed again, and the growl rumbled, low and deadly.

"_Master..."_ he corrected, gulping. "You see, this man is lost, and he was looking for a place to stay for one night. I was hoping we could-"

The creature roared, revealing several rows a sharp, jagged teeth. They were like fangs, gleaming in the low light, and the sound echoed over them with terrifying clarity. The blonde covered his ears and shut his eyes, desperately wishing this was just some terrible nightmare.

"Yipe!" With that, Demyx was off after Luxord, leaving the poor old man defenseless and mindlessly frightened. Vexen stared after the candelabra desperately, his eyes pleading for help.

Suddenly, the shadow was in his face, and terrified blue were forced to meet blazing green. Vexen screamed and begged.

"Please! I didn't mean anything by it! I-"

With a snarl, the beast lashed out his claw. Vexen was lifted off his feet, still struggling and crying, and he was then dragged quickly away, further into the den of the ferocious beast.


	4. 4

Roxas leaned back against the fence, sighing a little as he gazed across the fields before him. The sun was slowly beginning to set in the distance, casting a familiar glow over the valley that had every flower radiating with a soft, pleasant tint of red. It was beautiful, breath-takingly so.

The blonde boy sat relaxed as he watched the slow-moving sun, taking a bite of a sandwich he'd brought with him. On the few occasions like this when he ate alone, Roxas preferred not to eat cooped up in the lonely old house. He'd done his chores much earlier, and since there was nothing much to do afterward, he'd come outside, enjoying the songs of birds and crickets while he ate the humble meal.

Roxas smiled softly as his eyes wandered over the landscape. The village was quieting down for the day, as shopkeepers scurried to put away their wares and children played by their mothers in the streets. From this far away, they looked so peaceful and happy. Even kind. He vaguely wished he could have that sense of home and community with them.

He then turned his attention to the chicken coop, watching absently for a few minutes as the birds pecked and scratched at the ground randomly, scavenging for something to eat. Though, since most of them were fat and lazy, Roxas guessed that they were just looking for something to do. He could sympathize.

A few days had passed, and even though the fair had not ended yet, Roxas wished his father would come home. The boy couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, especially when he turned his gaze to that familiar, foreboding cluster of trees. In such a warm, sunny valley, with plentiful rain, how could those trees be so thoroughly dead?

Roxas cast a lonely look at the endless sky overhead then. He wouldn't be satisfied until Vexen was home again, and the next few days were sure to be torturous.

"Well, well...It appears I've caught you alone. Finally."

Roxas almost jumped out of his skin as the oily voice sounded behind him. But a quick glance around told him it was only Seifer.

The younger blond sighed heavily, shooting the other boy a practiced glare.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm trying to eat in peace." Roxas took another bite of his food, a little more vigorously than before. He wished the other blonde would take his father's place, and disappear for days on end.

When the older boy didn't oblige, Roxas arched an eyebrow. "Just what the hell are you doing here?"

Seifer smirked, moving closer and sitting down beside him, ignoring the open hostility he received in return.

"I came to see you, Roxas," he purred softly, as Roxas rolled his eyes. "I thought I'd come by and spend some time with you...I guess I haven't been very clear about my intentions lately..."

"Oh, I think you've been more than clear," Roxas shot back, scooting a little further away to avoid another attack from his wandering hands.

Seifer, never one to take a hint, scooted closer.

"Then you must know what I want. I'd like you to come with me willingly, but if not, my friends would be happy to join us."

It wasn't entirely unexpected, but Roxas choked a little all the same. Now he was threatening him with force?

How did this boy woo _anyone?!_

"How many times until this sinks into that thick head of yours? I'm not interested in you!" Roxas stood then, clenching his fists and stomping once in frustration. "You're rude, conceited, and just downright vile!"

Seifer just laughed.

"Admit it, Roxy. This is a dream come true for you."

"NO!" The younger blonde turned to walk away, only to feel a hand snatch his wrist.

Not about to repeat the incident

Roxas bolted for the house like a madman, slamming the door shut behind him and locking it with a loud 'click.' As he backed up against the door and began to slide down, the little blond jumped when Seifer began banging on the other side.

"Roxas," came the frustrated whine through the door, "Don't be like this! Come out!"

"Like hell I will!" he snapped back. He suddenly wished his father had left the wood chopping contraption here. It'd make a wonderful deterrent.

"Roxas, come out now!"

Instead of just waiting for him to go away or, more worrisome, break in, Roxas went to the back door and slipped quietly outside, racing away from the house and into a nearby field.

The tall weeds tickled him lightly, parting easily as he passed. It was surprising that they did not bend and blow away, even in this gentle wind.

Once he was a decent ways away, Roxas crouched low to the ground and waited a while, watching the house carefully until the other boy would give up and leave. Even if he called his friends, they couldn't catch him.

This did pose a rather large problem, though. Seifer was being aggressively persistent, even belligerent. Who knew what he would resort to next? He could even-

Roxas shuddered, pushing the thought from his mind. He wouldn't put it past the older boy at all to...to force himself on him, but he prayed that Seifer had more humanity, more kindness, than that.

The chance was a grim one, however. Roxas sighed, knowing he'd have to think of something while he still afforded the time.

Darkness was settling over the sky above, making for a pleasantly cool evening in the mountains. The breeze rustled the tall grass around him and tickled his hands and feet, and Roxas leaned down into it eagerly, cringing when he heard Seifer's voice still calling him from the farmhouse. He just wouldn't quit!

Finally the other boy left, dejected, and Roxas crept back across the fields to his home. The stars began to settle overhead, twinkling their little lights against the cloudless black sky above. The moon was still low, resting just above the mountains where the sun once sat, its pale glow lighting his way as the boy wandered back across the field. Roxas looked from the mountains to the forest, feeling a sudden chill as a stronger breeze rustled the grass.

A shrill whiney suddenly rang in his ears, and Roxas glanced around frantically, searching for its source. His eyes narrowed when he saw a small, pale dot moving across the field before him, and as the boy broke in a run, dashing for the farmhouse, the dot drew closer, becoming bigger and clearer.

Roxas had almost reached the house when the pale, moving speck was right in front of him. It was no longer a speck, but a familiar horse. Unbridled and unharnessed, it bore no rider.

"Proulx! What are you doing here?"

Fearing he might try to bolt, the young blond grabbed the horse's halter and held him steady, watching his eyes nervously dart back and forth. He was completely spooked, dancing nervously around as Roxas tried to calm him. Upon closer inspection, the boy gasped at the small, bloody marks lining the gelding's rear and side. None of them looked fatal or very deep, but without immediate attention, they were in danger of getting infected.

"E-Easy, boy," Roxas whispered, running his fingers over the small wounds and wincing a little at the blood as he drew them back. "Everything's alright now." He touched Proulx's face and looked up, unable to stop himself from asking. "What happened to you? Where's Father?"

The horse looked at him frantically, tossing his head in the direction of the woods.

"He's there?"

Roxas looked from the forest to his horse with growing worry. Every thought that wasn't concerned for the bloody gashes on his horse was fearing for his father's safety. Vexen could be out there somewhere; cold, hurt, or sick, with no way to get back. That was even if he was still alive...

No. The blonde shook himself. He mustn't let himself think that way.

"C'mon, boy," he said, as firmly as he could muster, gripping the halter tightly. He began leading the skittish horse back to the barn, soothing him all the way. "I'll fix you up real quick, and then we're going to find him..."

The horse shook his head, grunting nervously.

"We have to," the boy replied, quickly fetching some grain. "I know you're scared, but I need you. Please, Proulx, you have to take me to him."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Father!"

This place was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. The dead, mangled trees, twisted and ugly; branches like grasping hands that tore at the horse and rider as they passed. There was a cold, thick fog around Proulx's hooves, obscuring the near-abandoned dirt path.

"Father!" Roxas called desperately into the night. He called and called, but there was no sign of Vexen anywhere. The boy prayed fervently that the beasts that had attacked the horse hadn't attacked him too.

"Father! Where are you?"

The two rode long into the night, even into the early morning. But it was hard to tell how much time had passed, as the sky was dark and dreary, even through the dead trees. The darkness never seemed to lift from the place. It was an omnipresent shroud of chill and storm clouds, gripping the forest and surrounding mountains tight. The very air seemed sickly and suffocating.

Roxas was worried sick, and that worry grew as more time passed; in the back of his mind, the panic was slowly growing worse, feeding his fears...

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Roxas came upon a strange castle sitting alone on the edge of the mountain. Beside it was a deep, rocky chasm that stretched for miles below, as the boy could barely make out more of the forest down at the bottom. Still, the gap was a deep one.

Once they reached the bridge, Roxas dismounted and gazed up at at the castle fearfully. He noted the strange gothic statues and dark, lifeless windows, the vine-covered towers the seemed to stretch higher as they reached into the sky. Whoever lived there had to be rich and powerful.

But it was so very isolated...

Roxas swallowed nervously as he marched forward, pushing open the gate and leading his equally reluctant horse inside.

"Come on, boy."

Once he'd reached the inner courtyard, Roxas tied his horse's reins to one of the iron bars and slowly walked to the castle's doors, working up his courage. The blonde could only encourage himself in the back of his mind, whispering hope that maybe his father had found shelter there. If nothing else, perhaps the master had seen the old man, or could offer help in finding him. Either way, this seemed like his best, and perhaps only chance.

Roxas knocked on the door softly and waited a few minutes. He was tempted to walk away right then, but instead tried knocking a little louder. When there was still no answer, Roxas turned the handle and pushed the heavy door open.

"Hello?" he called out, peering inside. It was quiet and dark, and as his eyes adjusted he could see that the grand hall was very large and ornate. A few tapestries lined the walls, and there were various doors spaced around the hall, cut off only by a large staircase that forked halfway up. It was still a bit cold inside; quite uninviting. But it was a step above being outside.

"Hello?...Is anyone there?"

No one replied. Roxas briefly thought that it was rude to just waltz in to someone else's home, unannounced, but he was determined to find whoever lived here and ask them for help. Whoever it was was bound to be more familiar with the forest than he was, or maybe this person had seen the old inventor traveling out there somewhere.

'But what is such an old castle doing all the way out here?' he wondered. 'Who lives here? Why hasn't anyone ever mentioned this old place before?'

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The little blond began to explore the castle, unaware of the several small shadows following him as he went.

"Would you look at that, Luxord! Now there's a boy in the castle!"

"I can see that just fine, Demyx," the clock replied dryly, hopping along beside him as they watched the youth open a few doors down the corridor.

"I wonder what he's doing all the way out here?"

"How would I know?" Luxord snapped irritably. "Oh dear! This isn't good! This isn't good at all! The Master is still angry about the last person who trespassed! He's sure to lose his temper again!"

Demyx watched the boy sadly as he motioned to Luxord. "Maybe we could find a way to warn him. The Master hasn't seemed to have noticed him yet, so if we could just get him to leave before something bad happens-"

"Is someone there?" the boy called suddenly, making both objects jump and scurry back behind the wall. His nervous blue eyes blinked, narrowing as they examined the spot where the two had just stood.

"He'll notice him all too soon if the boy doesn't keep quiet!" the clock hissed, tugging his companion closer.

"What do you suggest I do?" Demyx snapped, shoving him over.

"Please...I'm looking for my father. I-I think he's lost somewhere in the forest, and I'm so worried about him. Can you help me?"

From his hiding spot, Demyx blinked. He turned to the clock beside him, who was dusting himself off from where he had fallen in the chaos.

"You hear that? I think that old gentlemen might be his father!"

"What ever gave you that idea?" Luxord shot back impatiently, sighing as Demyx had turned around to watch the boy again. "Whatever the case, we need to get him out of here! If the Master finds him, it'll be trouble for us again!"

"But look at him, Lux!" the candelabra whined, pulling his friend uncomfortably closer. The two of them watched as the boy pulled open another door, looking desperate and weary.

"Please..." he said softly, lowering his eyes after finding yet another empty room. "Please help me. I don't know what to do..."

They watched him for a little longer, as Demyx continued guilting the old clock.

"I'll bet he's all alone...We've just got to help him!"

Luxord grumbled back, trying to pry Demyx's 'arm' off of him. "Well, what do you want me to do about it?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Roxas closed a door quietly, sighing in defeat. Another empty room. Where exactly was the person running this castle? Were they hiding from him? Why?

Then again, why did he have the feeling he was being watched?

From what he'd seen, the castle was obviously being used by someone. While there was a fine coating of dust in place, and several of the rooms had revealed torn and tarnished furniture, everything seemed to be in very good shape. Too good for a place that had been thoroughly deserted. And, Roxas noted quickly, there were several candles and torches illuminating the hallways. How else to explain that?

'What a creepy place...' he thought nervously, glancing at an old statue that looked positively gruesome in the low light. Whoever lived here had interesting taste in decor.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise coming from down the hall, and Roxas startled as the far door swung open, beckoning him inside. He gulped a little, feeling distinctly unsettled, but pressed forward all the same. He had to find help, after all.

"Excuse me!" he called again, stepping into the room which seemed to spiral upward with a long, thin stone staircase. Roxas followed it up, his heart pounding as he followed the sound of something beating against the stone not far ahead of him.

"Is someone there?...Please come back!"

At the top of the stairs, Roxas realized with trepidation that he had come to some sort of dungeon. It was a tower room, with only one window. The floor was damp and covered in straw, as if it had been thrown around haphazardly with no rhyme or reason. In the dim light, Roxas could see the dismal, cold iron bars that made up the cells.

He shivered harshly at the temperature in the room, pulling his cloak tightly around his shoulders. It was freezing, worse than it had been, even outside.

"H-Hello?"

"Roxas?"

The boy glanced around quickly, his eyes falling on the cell right beside the window. He saw a familiar head of greying blond hair, and immediately felt his heart leapt into his throat.

"Father! You're alive! Oh thank goodness!"

Roxas ran to the cell and knelt down, gripping his father's cold hand tightly in his own. The boy's brow furrowed at the cool touch, looking up quickly and searching his father's eyes nervously as he rubbed the rough, calloused hand with his own.

"Roxas?" Vexen croaked again, squinting for a moment as if debating that he was actually there. He practically ripped his hands away and brought them to his son's face quickly, feeling the warm flesh quivering at his touch and affirming his fears. "It's really you? W-What are you doing here?"

"You were gone for days, father! And then Proulx came home, wounded and alone!" Roxas cried, taking the hand again and squeezing it tightly. "I came looking for you! I feared the worst!" The boy watched sadly as his father began to cough, hunching further against the wall. Even in the shadows, the man looked too pale and thin to be healthy.

"What has happened, Father? Why are you locked in this terrible place?"

"You shouldn't have come here! It's dangerous! You have to leave right now!"

Roxas shook his head, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"But why?...I can't! I won't leave without you!"

Vexen coughed, shaking his head. "It's no use! Just go now, before- !"

Suddenly, a roar shook the room. As the boy jumped, a large hand seized Roxas roughly by the shoulder, pulling him back away from the cell and into the dark shadows of the room. Roxas screamed and instantly began to thrash, only half aware as Vexen began to plead frantically.

"No! Please! Let him go!"

Roxas whimpered as he felt something sharp jabbing him in the shoulder. Claws, or nails? The rough hand that gripped him tightened as a low voice boomed right in his ear.

"Trespassing is not tolerated in this castle! Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Roxas shook violently and creaked his eyes open slowly, taking in the figure holding him. The man was almost completely hidden in the shadows, but Roxas could see fierce, gleaming green eyes fixed upon him. The shadow towered over him, as most people did, regrettably, but this man had to be at least ten feet tall!

Roxas struggled to swallow the lump in his throat.

"P-Please let me go." he said softly, flinching as the man's eyes narrowed. He couldn't stop shaking, no matter how hard he tried. "I-I meant n-no harm. I-I just wanted to f-find my f-father..."

"Here he is! Now leave!" the voice bellowed. "He is my prisoner..."

Roxas grabbed the man's arm desperately, falling almost to his knees. He felt a little confused, though, when he felt something soft but matted completely coating the man's arm. A fur coat maybe?

"No, please! My father's sick! I need to take care of him, o-or he could die!"

"I don't care!" the shadow grumbled angrily, causing Roxas to shrink back slightly. "He will stay here and rot!"

"But why? What could he have done to make you so angry?"

"That's none of your concern!" Green eyes narrowed even more dangerously. "I am in no mood to deal with you today, boy, so I'll be generous. You may leave if you wish, but your father stays with me untilI say he can go."

The man yanked his arm out of Roxas's grasp, letting the boy sink to his knees by one of the cells as he turned and stormed away. Hot tears began spilling out all over Roxas's cheeks.

"Please...There has to be something I can do..."

"There's nothing you can say to change my mind..." the man growled. But just as he reached the door, Roxas's eyes widened. He jumped to his feet in an instant.

"W-Wait!"

The man turned to face him again, and Roxas used all of his courage to stare unflinchingly into those cold, green eyes.

"What if I took his place, and stayed here as your prisoner?"

From the cell, Vexen shouted, "No! Roxas, what are you saying? Run! Run away from here!"

The green-eyed man scoffed, about to refuse the offer when he paused. The boy swallowed heavily then, ringing his hands as he stepped forward. He had the man's attention.

"I-If I stayed, would you let him go?"

The stranger stood still for a moment, silent and foreboding. But before the blonde could find his voice again, he turned and came back over to Roxas, looking into his eyes searchingly. Even in the shadows, the man's features seemed to be gentling.

"I would," he said finally, and the boy's spirits lifted, if but a little. "But tell me...Why would you give up your own freedom for someone like him?" He gestured to the weak, cowering man in the cell behind them, as if disgusted by his existence.

Roxas stood firm, no longer shaking under the stare.

"Because...he's the only family I have. Even if he did something terrible, I love him no matter what."

Green eyes widened slightly as they stared back into his own. His voice came softer now, more uncertain somehow.

"You would really stay here willingly?"

Roxas hesitated for a moment, then nodded heavily.

"No! Please!" Vexen shouted, sobbing desperately. "He's only a boy!"

Any other day, Roxas would have rolled his eyes and grumbled at such concern, but right now he was nervously awaiting an answer. If it meant his father would go free, then he would do it. He willed back all further tears, watching the hulking figure before him and trying not to think about the consequences of his promise. There was no room for hesitating now.

Finally, the shadow-man moved, taking a step back, into the dim light from the nearby window. Roxas gasped, holding back a shriek of terror at what he saw.

The 'man' before him was actually a large, beastly animal, with fur the color of angry flames. He was almost twice Roxas's size, and seemed to have a mix of many different animals. He had the face and horns of a buffalo, the arms and paws of a bear, the teeth and mane of a lion, and the tail and lower legs of a werewolf. All in all, he stood as a frightening package, and Roxas couldn't help but take a step back, shaking all over again. Then, without warning, his knees buckled completely, and he was back on the cold ground again, unable to rise or form a coherent sentence.

The beast barked a bitter laugh. "What say you now, boy? Are you still so sure?"

"I-I..." The little blond looked up at him fearfully. The disbelieving eyes were back, the arrogant scoff and rigid shoulders, as if the beast suspected a lie from the beginning. Roxas swallowed his terror and shakily got to his feet, approaching the creature and reaching out his hand.

"I will. Y-Yes."

The beast snorted then, and for a split second, Roxas swore he saw a glimpse of astonishment in those eyes. As if the creature thought that he would really back out now, and simply ride away from the castle forever. But the second was gone. The beast shook the offered hand roughly, in a paw almost comically larger than his own, and moved behind him to unlock the cell.

"We have an accord."

The blonde turned then, shuddering. What had he just agreed to?

Once the door was open, Roxas threw himself inside, embracing his father and sobbing openly, clinging to the cold arms that held him.

"My son! Oh foolish boy, what have you done?" Vexen sobbed in reply, running a nervous hand through Roxas's hair and turning the boy's pale face towards his. He shook his head and shut his eyes, not willing to show the utter despair in them to the boy that already looked so hopeless and lost.

"I'm old; I've seen enough of this world! You're still young!" The hand on his face gripped firmly, drawing Roxas blue eyes up and making them unable to look away. "Please don't throw your life away-"

The beast grabbed Vexen by the collar of his shirt and roughly pulled them apart, dragging the older blonde unceremoniously away. The old man sputtered indignantly, struggling with the little strength he had, as his son watched, momentarily dumbfounded.

A second later, he sprang to his feet.

"No, wait!" Roxas begged, staggering after the two. "Please, I-"

But by the time he reached the door, they were gone. The hall was dark and empty, echoing faintly with the sobs of his father and the soft scrapes and taps of claw on stone. It faded quickly, and then all was quiet again. Deadly quiet.

Roxas quickly ran to the window, and in mere moments, he watched hopelessly as Vexen was dragged out into the courtyard and thrown into a waiting carriage. Strangely enough, there was no horse at the front or driver in the seat. It almost looked abandoned; empty, and covered in dark weeds and growths.

Somewhere down below, Proulx gave a loud series of shrieks.

"No, please! Don't take him away from me!" Vexen cried, fighting to push past the monster. His eyes swept up to the tower window, searching for his young son. "Roxas!"

And Roxas saw him, reached out his hand for him...

The beast scowled, pushed the man back in and slammed the door roughly in his face. He bolted it shut and stepped away, ignoring the pounding and calling from inside as the invention was brought out and hitched. The cart rose up on strange, spindly legs, and then the beast barked a harsh command, causing the rickety old carriage to jump to a start, taking off at a brisk pace. Within a moment it was outside the gate, disappearing into the dark woods ahead.

Roxas watched silently, as the last comforting thing he saw, his father's invention, vanished from his sight. He was almost in shock, words trapped in his throat, unable to escape. How had it come to this?

So many questions arose. What did the strange beast want with him? Was he going to die, cold and alone in these dungeons, as his father had been doomed before him?

But all these were hardly noteworthy next to the fact that he would never seen his father again. This dungeon was the last place he'd ever been comforted, or loved. Roxas stared blankly out into the forest, as more tears began to flow. He slumped at the base of the window, pressing his head against the cool stone and crying until his heart would burst.

"Goodbye...F-Father..."


	5. 5

Axel stalked back up the stairs, grumbling. At least one matter had been sorted out, but now he was saddled with watching some snot-nosed little whelp, yet another disturbance to the solitude of the castle.

When it came to keeping the old man locked away, things had been fairly easy; Vexen stayed quiet and out of the way in the tower dungeon. The beast had little need to attend to him, and he found that was the way he preferred it. But it seemed unlikely that he could continue that routine with this boy.

On his way up, he spotted Demyx waiting in the corridor. Axel picked him up in one paw, using the light to navigate the darker passages.

"So the boy has taken his father's place?" the candelabra asked, a small smile growing on his waxy face. He was trying to hide his interest, and failing miserably.

Axel nodded gruffly.

"How exciting! To think we haven't had proper company in so many years!" Demyx's voice grew softer as they ascended the stairs. "Will he stay in the dungeons?"

"Of course not!" the beast snapped, earning a flinch from the servant. "That is hardly a proper place for him."

"All too right, my lord." Demyx then muttered something off to the side, to the affect that he had not thought to give the old man better accommodations. Axel, in a rare display of patience, chose to ignore it.

"Just remember to be kind to him," the candelabra said quickly, as an afterthought. "I'm sure he will be somber for some time."

"I know that!" Axel growled back, earning a roll of the eyes. He sulked the rest of the way.

"I'm not a fool..."

When he reached the dungeons, Axel found the blonde slumped against the window, sobbing into his arms. The boy did not turn to face him, nor did he make any indication that he recognized Axel's presence at all, but the beast stood for a moment and watched him, feeling his hard gaze soften slightly.

It almost moved him, seeing this boy cry so openly. It stirred feelings in his withered old heart that the beast had not felt in what seemed like ages. He remembered the feeling of misery, of losing everything he cared about; he knew it all too well. His life had changed so abruptly and without remorse. In that moment, Axel felt connected to the boy, if only slightly. They were the same; lost, alone, with no one to comfort them.

In that sense, he almost felt guilty. It was an old feeling, almost foreign to him now, but knowing he had caused this boy that pain made him sad. He was obviously a kind child, noble and caring. From what little Axel had seen, he was also fair. Beautiful inside and out.

'Impossible,' he thought bitterly. ' No such people exist in this world.'

Demyx seemed to think this moment was right to interrupt. The candelabra motioned across the room, and back to him, drawing the beast's attention.

"Go to him," he whispered. "Here is a chance to undo some of the damage."

The beast gave him a blank, hopeless look at first, which quickly turned irritable. He would not tolerate being ordered around by _anyone, _especially one of his own servants.

"Fine." With a slight grumble, he stalked forward until he reached the boy's side. He laid a paw on his shoulder, as gently as he could, about to speak when a soft sniffle stopped him.

"I didn't really get to say goodbye." The boy spoke carefully, as if any moment his words would dissolve away into meaningless blubbering. "He's gone...And I'll never see him again..."

Then the boy lifted his head slowly, and Axel found himself staring into the most captivating blue eyes he had seen in a long time. A few tears sat unshed within them, making the irises sparkle like brilliant gems, even in the darkness of the tower. The blonde raised a shaky hand to wipe the spilled tears from his cheeks, and Axel couldn't help but note how young he looked. Young and yet so mature; his eyes spoke of intelligence and curiosity, only dimmed at the moment by sorrow and fear.

Shaking his head firmly, Axel grabbed the boy's wrist and pulled him to his feet, leading him out the door without a word.

The blonde looked startled as he struggled to keep up on the narrow stairway. "Where are you taking me?"

The beast shot him an irritated look. "To your room, of course."

The boy looked back up the way they came, confused. "My room? But I thought that-"

"You wish to stay in the dungeons?" Axel growled back, earning a jolt from him.

"N-No, but I-"

"Then let's go." The beast turned to walk away, but stopped when he didn't feel the boy following. Turning back, more irritated then before, he bit back a harsh command as he met a nervous gaze. The boy looked like a frightened rabbit, cornered by a fox.

"Listen," Axel ground out, hoping he sounded more patient than he felt. "You agreed to stay here with me forever, so the castle is your home now. In case you didn't notice, the tower is cold and dark and not at all comfortable, so I wouldn't recommend staying up there..." With an awkward pause, the beast scratched the back of his head. "You may have your own room, and you're free to explore the castle to your heart's content...The only place you must never go is the west wing."

The blonde's brow furrowed. "Why? What's there?"

"It's forbidden!" Axel shot back, voice raising slightly in anger. Roxas jerked back in a flinch, his shoulders hunching, as though expecting to be beaten. Before the redhead could even spit the order, he felt an unpleasant heat pressing into his arm.

Resisting the urge to yowl, he glared down at Demyx, seeing the servant looking less than amused himself.

"Control your temper. Try, at least," he implored, "or you will never make any progress with him."

The red beast sighed, taking a minute to rein in his temper. The boy was curious; he hadn't meant any harm. In an attempt to redeem himself, Axel reached out a paw and placed it on the young blond's shoulder, feeling him tense away, seeing those eyes still weary.

"All I ask is you stay away from there," he offered calmly. "The rest of the castle is free range. I can even set up a tour, if you'd like."

The boy nodded slowly, before quickly looking down. "If you wouldn't mind..."

The two continued walking; Axel caught his guest gazing around, shuddering at the sight of all the dark, scraggly decor. The rooms they passed had broken, ripped furniture and statues, torn curtains, and some scraps of dust and what looked suspiciously like bone. The castle itself was in a state of decay; mold grew in some of the corners, latching to the stone and spreading. It was depressing, and judging from the boy's expressions, terrifying. Axel had grown used to it by now, so he continued boldly forward, only stopping and clearing his throat to alert the blonde if he lingered.

But an idea began to eat away at Axel; it wasn't the castle itself that upset him most. It was the castle's master. Himself.

'He'll always be afraid of you_,' _Axel's thoughts supplied bitterly. 'You are nothing but a monster.'

Perhaps the boy would just be more trouble than he was worth after all...No. No, it wouldn't be so. It mustn't. This chance had practically fallen into his lap by the grace of God, and he'd be a fool not to take it. It may very well be his last.

It was a long awkward silence that followed, as Axel tried to find something he could say. What could he possibly say at this moment? Forgive me for locking up your sick, elderly father, only to throw him out and imprison you instead?

'That would be a fine apology indeed. Hearing that, he'll no doubt leap in to your arms and fall deeply-'

He almost yelped as something hot prodded his arm again.

"Ask him his name, my lord."

The beast almost stopped altogether, resisting the urge to smack himself. Of course he should ask the boy's name!

He looked over his shoulder, voice a touch more curt than he would have liked. "What do they call you, boy?"

The blonde's attention snapped back to him instantly. The beast tried to remember his name on his own. Vexen had said it earlier, though he'd been only vaguely listening to the old pest. He growled a little, waiting for his memory to supply the name.

_'_What was it_?_ Damn it!'

Taking his growl as impatience, the boy gave a small, shaky bow, lowering his eyes to the floor.

"My name is R-Roxas, sir."

'That was it! Roxas!' Axel pondered it to himself, finding that he liked it. The name wasn't a common one. Was it even French at all?

Somehow, even before knowing what it meant, the beast found that it suited him perfectly.

"You may call me 'Axel.'" He said simply, before continuing on their trek.

"Axel..." He could hear soft, hesitant pads on the carpet, and his lips curved upward ever so slightly.

Another silence followed as they entered a new corridor, lined on both sides with small torches. Axel stole a few glances at his guest as they walked, examining him in the better light. His skin was a little pale for that of a farm boy; odd, but overall, the boy was certainly beautiful. He had a lithe, almost feminine build, the image not at all diminished by his boyish face and blonde curls. His hair glowed brighter in the torchlight, looking almost like a crown of curls on his head. It was bright and soft where his father's had been greying and somewhat wire-like. And his eyes...

Axel shivered slightly. Those lovely eyes were, without contest, his best feature. How familiar they seemed to him, as his memory drifted back to a pair of similar blue eyes he had seen long ago, ones that had sparkled often with mirth and shy affection...

_'Ven...'_

They could have been brothers, twins even, if Roxas were a little older...

But Axel shook the thought away. This was a coincidence and nothing more. A delusion brought on by all these disturbances at the castle.

"Do you think he'll be alright?"

Axel blinked, halting and looking back over his shoulder curiously. Roxas had spoken so softly, he almost hadn't heard him at all.

"Come again?"

"My father...Do you think he'll be alright?" Roxas met his gaze, his eyes sad but calm as he asked the question. Axel almost had to admire how brave he was, in the face of what must have seemed like death. But the more he thought about that, the more irritable he became. The boy spoke because he felt he had to, not because he wanted to. Perhaps he had no chance with him after all.

"I sent him to the town I assume he came from. He should be able to get what care he needs there." As an afterthought, the beast added, "I hope that with some time, you'll come to like it here."

Roxas nodded shyly, bowing his head again. "Thank you, sir..."

Axel sighed, tapping his paw lightly against Roxas's nose. "Just Axel is fine."

The boy nodded, but said nothing, following behind him the rest of the way.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

By the time they had reached his room, Roxas felt thoroughly exhausted. Between the emotional stress and physical strain of searching all night, the boy was sure he could have collapsed at any time.

When Axel opened the door, revealing a small but cozy room, Roxas gave a small smile, as his gaze rested firmly on the queen-sized bed. There was also an old, mahogany wardrobe in the corner of the room, along with a closet, shelf, and small writing desk. On the far wall was a door that led out onto a balcony, from which he could look over the chasm if he desired.

"This is your room now. Alter and use it as you please. If you require anything else, my servants will attend to you..."

Axel offered a stiff bow as the little blond walked inside. Roxas returned the gesture somewhat hesitantly, muttering, "Thank you." He really felt small, compared to the towering creature before him.

"I'm sure you're tired, so I'll leave you to rest a little." He set the candelabra in his hand down upon the dresser, then made to leave. Before he closed the door, the beast paused. "But I shall expect you for dinner at seven. Do not be late."

With that, he vanished, the door closing with a soft thud.

'What a strange...person_.' _Roxas slowly looked around the room. The curtains were drawn and surprisingly intact. It was dark outside, only a small glimpse of moonlight shining through the heavy fabric. It must have been very early now, almost morning, but the dark forest made it hard to discern.

With shaking fingers, Roxas slowly undid his cloak and let it fall to the floor in a heap. In a second, the boy stepped forward and threw himself down on the bed, his face burying into the pillow. With a few swift kicks, his boots soon joined the cloak on the ground, and Roxas crawled under the warm covers until he was comfortable enough, though he doubted falling asleep would be too much of a problem. He was exhausted, and the covers were so nice, warming the chill from his bones.

He didn't even bother blowing out the candles.

For a monster, Axel didn't see to be as terrible as he had been at first. But still, the boy couldn't help but be frightened of him. Everything surrounding the beast was shrouded in mystery, darkness; Roxas wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to it all. His life had been uprooted once already, moving to the country; now it seemed to have changed completely all over again.

He was only really leave one thing behind this time, but it was very major...

"What am I to do?" He wondered softly. What was he expected to do, apart from sit around the castle all day? Would the beast change his mind and lock him away in the dungeon? Or would he be put to work? Axel had mentioned having servants, but so far Roxas hadn't seen any of them. Would they be monsters, as beastly as their master?

The beast seemed to find his presence in the castle novel, but...what if his interested waned? What would happen to him then?

Letting out a few stray sobs, the blonde curled deeper into the bed and hugged himself. He had no one in this strange place, nothing of any comfort at all, save for his horse. But as far as the boy was concerned, nothing was safe.

"Father..."

The tears could not continue flowing forever. Soon enough, the boy drifted off to sleep, dreaming of home...


	6. 6

Roxas stirred groggily from his sleep, desperately fighting the impulse to wake. He was having pleasant dreams of being back on the farm with his father. It was a gorgeous summer day, hot but not too humid, and Vexen had actually been persuaded to engage in the chores, amazingly enough. The old man complained a bit about his back and knees, but often smiled and joked despite himself. He was a tinkerer by nature, but he loved fixing things up, seeing the final product come together. Roxas smiled brightly as he helped his father with repairing the fence, laughing along with him before turning, curiously, at the sound of visitors.

Impossible! Coming over the hill, his old friends were trudging up the dirt path to his home, the girl of the group walking in between, her arms around the shoulders of another tall blonde and a short, plump boy with dark, spiky hair.

'Hayner...Pence...Olette...'

Roxas rolled over and groaned, grasping the fading dream at the edges of his mind. He didn't want to return to reality, not yet. Maybe not ever.

"This child sleeps like the dead," A not so distant voice grumbled, as the blonde began to register the waking world. Who was that?

"As well he should," Another, more feminine voice said softly. It was male, beyond the shadow of a doubt, but held an odd timbre compared to that of the first person. "Poor thing. He's had a trying day, I can tell..."

Roxas vaguely wondered if he was still dreaming. Neither person sounded familiar in the least, and the dream had faded away into darkness by now. It almost brought tears to his tightly shut eyes.

There was a huff before the first voice spoke again.

"I know. I would let him sleep, but Axel expects him for dinner."

Dinner? Oh... that was what the beast had said, wasn't it?

"Well? Do you have any ideas?"

"One. But I won't like it."

"Will he appreciate it?" the more feminine-sounding man asked, subtle amusement in his tone.

"No. I don't expect that he will."

Before he had time to wonder what the two mysterious voices were up to, the boy's eyes snapped open at the sudden searingly heat that touched his arm.

He shot up in bed with a yelp, stumbling a little when his legs were stubbornly caught twisted in the sheets. Cradling his wounded limb, Roxas looked down at his arm, wincing. The skin was a faint red and smarted painfully when he touched it, but fortunately it didn't seem to be a true injury. The blonde looked up and glared at his attacker, his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as he got a look at the other "people" in his room.

"Good day, young master! We apologize for waking you, painfully at that, but it's nearly suppertime," a walking, talking candelabra said, smiling brilliantly. "You have an appointment to keep with the Master, and we are here to assist you in preparation."

The boy blinked, staring at the object with open-mouthed awe. In moments, his mind would be abuzz with questions, but for now, it was blank. Blank and uncomprehending.

Sensing distress, the candelabra lowered his "hands" and gestured peacefully.

"Be unafraid, young master. While I am sure you have never seen the likes of us before, we mean you no harm. We are only here to assist you and serve your needs."

Roxas blinked then, cautiously coming back over to the bed where he observed the strange object. His brow furrowed then.

"What...are you?" he asked hesitantly. "We?"

"Yes, we. Meaning myself is included."

Roxas jumped, making a pitiful squeak as he whipped his head around. The wardrobe he had barely registered before was suddenly leaning closer, and it _smiled _widely at him.

"Hello," the thing greeted. The blonde practically fell onto the bed, startled and confused.

"Oh my God, i-it talks!"

"Of course I do! Demyx did, didn't he?" the wardrobe beamed. "You don't catch on very quick, do you, boy?"

Roxas only stuttered a moment before he felt his overall grip on reality loosening. He swayed a little before he fell backwards, collapsing in a dead faint.

"Oh dear," the wardrobe murmured, shifting closer, ignoring the shrill scratches he made when moving across the wooden floor. "Is he alright?"

Demyx shot an angry glance his way.

"You idiot! You frightened him!" Without touching and burning him, he examined the unconscious blonde, relieved to see he was still breathing. Demyx sighed heavily then, shaking his head.

"He is fine, although now we shall have an even more difficult time waking him."

The wardrobe shrugged. "It was just as well that he was on the bed. No matter. Even if it takes us a few minutes, we can go ahead and tell Aqua to draw the bath."

The candelabra sighed again. "Very well. I shall go tell her. In the mean time, see if you can transport him to the bathroom."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

When Roxas woke again a short time later, it was in a manner almost as unpleasant as the last. He sat up from the tiled floor with a start, shivering violently as cold water dripped down his skin and under his clothes, soaking them through. He looked around then, trying to understand where the water had come from.

"W-Where...where am I?"

The talking objects were still there with him, he soon noticed. Many more of them now, standing over him, watching intently as he brushed his wet bangs from his eyes. It was rather unnerving; having a bunch of inanimate objects watching his every move with real faces, whispering about him. Though he found them odd, he didn't yet realize that he was the truly odd one, by their standards.

The wardrobe made it over to him with some effort, causing him to scoot slowly away nervously, still trembling from the cold.

"Don't be silly, boy," the wardrobe said irritably. "We mean no harm. Now, it is time for you to bathe and dress for dinner. You're far too filthy to go as you are."

Watching the wardrobe warily from the corner of his eyes, Roxas looked about, finally registered that he was in a large bathroom. It was much brighter than his room, and spacious too; there were several lights lit and scattered around the room, and what looked like a mini salon and a large, circular tub sat to the side and corner. Steam was slowly filling the room, fogging up the large mirrors as the sound of water rushing filled his ears. The floor was smooth, laid with white tiles, an expensive adornment even by city standards.

The candelabra called his attention again, hopping over to the two of them with a bemused look.

"We're behind schedule! Quick, young master, undress and get in the bath! Marluxia, find him subtable clothes for the evening!"

"I'm thinking something in blue," Marluxia replied, more to himself than to Demyx, as he opened his door and bent forward slightly, sorting through his contents. "Azure would match his eyes well..."

Roxas watched, fascinated, vaguely aware that the other objects in the room were being ordered about much the same. An array of walking brushes and combs clattered against the tile, hopping over to the tub. He hoped he wasn't meant to actually use one of them...

Taking a moment to look down at himself, the boy was surprised to see how dirty he was. He remembered that Proulx had thrown him from the saddle once, after being spooked by a few equally startled bats, and he could feel the soreness, the weariness in his muscles from it, and the rest of the riding. He was still very tired, but perhaps a bath would help.

Although, the bath was only being offered in exchange for...no, as a condition for dining with the beast.

"Look sharp, boy!" Marluxia snapped, drawing him out of his thoughts. He glared at the wardrobe then, but it only snorted. "You can stare or glare as long as you like when the evening is over. For now, kindly oblige us so that we may speed this process along."

"Marluxia's right. The Master hates to be kept waiting."

Roxas bit back an waspish retort, rising and beginning to undress but continuing to watch the objects move around the room. Moving mops and dustpans, brooms and other odds and ends; this was a stranger place than even he could have imagined.

What sort of castle had servants like these?

A touch embarrassed by the time he had finished, the blonde held his clothes against his chest, hesitant as a living hamper made of thread and wicker came over to retrieve them.

"What's the matter?" Demyx asked, chuckling a little. "It's not as though they will never be returned. We will clean and press them for you."

Roxas looked away, nodding as he relinquished them.

"I...just wanted to make sure." He didn't want everything from his old life taken away, never to be seen again. Not like-

"Worry not, Roxas." The candelabra's expression was understanding, comforting. He said nothing more, but the blonde could feel encouragement from him. The assurance that things would get better.

He sincerely hoped they did. He felt so empty inside, all emotions save for sadness and anger muted, smothered by the all-encompassing void. Sadness wouldn't fill that space, but anger might.

The blonde blinked then, noticing a detail he had previously ignored. He looked back down at Demyx.

"How did you know my name?"

The thing smiled back at him. "Why, I was with you since you arrived! You just did not notice me!"

"Oh." He supposed the candelabra would have just blended into the background. He didn't expect a living candelabra, nor did he notice an inanimate one. His mind had been otherwise preoccupied at the time.

"With that settled, GET IN THE BATH!"

Roxas flinched at the wardrobe's shrillness, but he nodded, doing as he was told. The water was delightfully warm, but he couldn't help but be nervous as the animated objects approached him.

"I would like to wash myself," he said firmly, causing a few to halt and scoff indignantly. It would have been humorous if not for his mood. Being waited on by servants, however odd they were, letting them see him like this and wash him, was unnerving.

"Nonsense! The Master has decreed we devote ourselves to your care," Marluxia said, somewhat indignant as well.

Feeling his cheeks heat up a little, Roxas shook his head.

"I would rather be alone."

"And we will leave you be from now on, if you wish it. But tonight, you will have to forgive us. We cannot afford to dally." As impatient as Marluxia sounded, there was a touch of sympathy there as well. But Roxas never had the chance to notice it.

With a whistle, the wardrobe summed all of the objects to him, and they descended on the boy too quickly and thoroughly for him to fight back.

"Hey! What are you- No! Stop it! STOP!"

It was the most awkward bath he could have imagined.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The dining room was quiet and dark, brightened only by the small fire that crackled beneath the large ornamental mantlepiece. It cast a reddish glow over everything, revealing a long. narrow table set in the middle of the room. The table was covered by a cloth of fine, dark red satin, its edges rimmed with little golden leaf and flower designs meticulously embroidered in.

It was a beautiful display that might have impressed any king, but Axel was taking no notice of it now.

"Where is he?" he growled, slamming his fist on the table impatiently. The living dinnerware rattled, startled by his outburst and upset by his force, but they remained silent, hoping simultaneously that their master's guest would arrive soon. The beast was seated at the end furthest from the door and though in the dim light, his entire face was shrouded in shadows.

But the air in the room was tense, practically pulsing with his frustration.

"Where is the boy?" he demanded again, looking down at the nearest servant, a fidgeting, trembling little clock.

"I do not know, Master." Seeing the beast's eyes narrow, Luxord jumped a little, smiling nervously. "I-If you like, I can go find Demyx. Surely he can explain this rude-"

They both turned at the sound of a doorknob turning, and in hopped Demyx, looking very tired and exasperated. Axel rounded on him then, rising from his seat with a harsh scrape of wood on hard floor.

"I gave a time, did I not?" he snapped, causing the candelabra to wince and shrink back slightly. "It is nearly eight o'clock! You'd better have a good reason for this!"

"Admittedly, I do not, Master," the candelabra huffed out, catching his breath. "It took quite some time to wake the boy, and then even more to make him presentable. Please forgive us, Master, and forgive him. We are still adjusting. But I promise that next time and all times after, we will be prompt and punctual!"

The beast growled, about to argue, but stopped as his guest slowly, hesitantly came into the room. The boy was dressed in a simple but elegant suit of deep blue, one that complimented his features and matched his eyes perfectly. The eyes themselves stood out even more so against his pale face, although, to the beast's surprise and amusement, Roxas's cheeks had the faintest dusting of blush. His hair was still in messy, tangled spikes, but if possible, it looked even lighter than before; a lovely shade that reminded Axel faintly of wheat. Overall, the boy looked very good; his fidgeting and slight slouching the only clues to his true status.

Roxas had a frown etched onto his delicate face, and that, combined with his blushing, made for an adorable pout. Axel thought this to himself, then jolted slightly, surprised. He had seldom indulged such silly thoughts before...

The blonde stood still, shifting slightly until he felt a nudge behind him. Marluxia pushed him forward gently as Demyx bowed and took his leave with the others, shutting the door behind them. Roxas looked at the floor and just stood there, feeling the beast's gaze and not liking its sudden intensity.

"I'm sorry for being late..." he grumbled softly, not sounding very apologetic at all. "I didn't know this was to be a formal dinner, and I didn't expect the servants to attack me."

Axel blinked briefly, not understanding, then smiled wickedly. He chuckled as Roxas blushed darker, taking his seat slowly, sitting across from the creature at the long table. A wide array of food sat before him, but the boy couldn't bring himself to care about any of it. _  
_

"They are rather...enthusiastic," the beast said, still chuckling. "I confess that I do not give them much to do. Having a guest is quite novel for them. I am certain that they will calm in time, but do not hesitate to speak to them if something is troubling you."

The blonde nodded, picking up his fork and staring at it absently.

For several minutes, neither of them spoke or ate. The beast stared at his guest for a long time, frustrated when the boy never met his gaze. He didn't seem as nervous as before, but his eyes looked blank, as if they weren't seeing anything. Axel wondered what he was thinking, and was tempted to demand it from him, but withheld.

Meanwhile, Roxas stared at his fork, only shifting occasionally to his empty plate and wine glass. His thoughts were far from the castle and its master, far, far beyond the forest and its ghostly emptiness.

Axel did his best to fill the silence, as he enthusiastically dug in to the spread before them. It was an assortment of meats, which the beast boasted he had caught himself.

"Of course, it was not an easy task," he said, somewhat boastful. "This forest has been desolate and bare for so long..."

But Roxas was only half listening. The boy was glad to keep his gaze lowered, after chancing a look up and seeing the beast eating. The creature certainly had table manners like an animal; gnawing meat straight from the bone, slurping and smacking, talking in between bites. Roxas was repulsed, but he said nothing, keeping as distant and quiet as before.

The beast took note of everything; his posture, his distant, downward gaze, and the way he gripped his fork a little too tight every now and again. He thought the boy might still be afraid, but he soon realized it was a gesture of...irritation?

Despite himself, his blood began to boil, and every time the boy nodded slightly, barely acknowledging him, he felt his frustration growing.

'Why doesn't he say something?' Axel grumbled to himself, watching as Roxas brought a tiny bit of food to his mouth and swallowed slowly. It was a mindless motion, something the boy was doing more for _his_ benefit, not his own. And it was the only bite he had taken so far. The food was spread thoroughly around his plate, but it did not lessen by much over the course of the meal.

"The food is to your liking, I hope?" the beast finally offered, barely masking his impatience.

Roxas blinked, looking surprised as he was pulled from his thoughts yet again. He noticed the beast's stare and shifted a little uncomfortably in his seat, but soon narrowed his eyes and sat up taller, straighter in his chair. The monster had taken away his home, his freedom, his only family...couldn't he just leave him alone with his thoughts for one minute?

"Yes. Thank you." He took another bite, then set his fork down. "I can't eat anymore."

Axel raised an eyebrow briefly, taking another bite of meat and ripping it from the bone sloppily. Roxas winced and sank down slightly in his chair, watching the creature devour the tender scrap of food. It was nauseating.

"I can't say I buy that. You've hardly touched your plate," he observed, mouth still full. "Come now, eat."

"I'm not hungry," he replied flatly, not caring if the beast thought him rude. "May I be excused to my room?"

"Not until you have finished." Roxas blinked, frowning. Who did this monster think he was, his father?! "It's not healthy to eat so little."

"I don't care if it's unhealthy. I really can't eat anymore. Please," he tried again, more politely, "Please may I be excused?"

"You may not until I wish it!" Axel snapped back, causing the boy and all servants present to jump slightly. No one had expected him to raise his voice.

The boy stood up then, abruptly. The beast narrowed his eyes threateningly, as if daring him to leave, but Roxas shot him a worthy glare.

"You have imprisoned me in the castle, but you said I may come and go as I please. Well, it pleases me to return to my room, and I intend to, with or without your permission."

Axel rose to his feet as well, growling a bit but not moving from his spot across the table.

"It would be wise not to speak to me that way, boy. I'm do not intend to treat you like a prisoner here, but I can assure you, your stay here will be a lot more pleasant if you behave."

Roxas growled a little back, not backing down as he looked into the beast's cold green eyes.

"I am a prisoner..." he mumbled softly under his breath, then spoke up. "If you think you can cow me into submitting to your every whim, forget it! I will eat and leave when I please, not when it suits you!"

Axel snarled loudly, stalking towards him quickly. The blonde's face faltered, the fear taking precedence over anger, and he began to back away as the towering creature loomed closer.

'Where is your courage now?' he thought to himself.

Roxas clenched his jaw at that. And despite the ferocious monsters standing above him, panting, snarling, pupils shrinking in sheer anger, he stepped forward then. It was a little shaky, but the boy stood to face him, the top of his head at level with the beast's chest. He glared back, even as his insides screamed to run. He wasn't some mangy dog's plaything. He was a person, a "guest" here...

They stood at an impasse, each staring down the other. Axel kept his paw raised, but never struck, studying the boy as best he could through the immense anger.

Finally, the beast growled again, turning and storming out of the room without another word. Roxas watched him go, the adrenaline slowly fading. He felt so relieved as the door slammed that he fell back against the wall, not even realizing it was there until he touched it.

His heart was beating fast, erratically in his chest, and he was shaking in places. That made him feel more cowardly still. Then, as it slowly left his system and he calmed, the boy suddenly felt very stupid. He could have been beaten or killed, or the beast could have changed his mind and locked him in the dungeons. Roxas shuddered at that. He had been like a caged animal, snapping back out of instinct. Mindless, wild, and stupid.

He had been angry, and the beast, though still quite terrifying, had caused him to snap. Enough so that he challenged the thing.

Some of the servants were glaring at him, but the blonde wasn't paying attention. He was just so shocked that finally, he too left the room.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The next few weeks followed in a similar pattern to each other: Roxas slept for a good portion of the day, dreaming of happier times in happier places, only to wake and feel his emptiness consume him again. Each time felt worse than the last, but he couldn't stop dreaming of home. Of his father. His heart ached so badly, but all he had to sate it were dreams. They became like a drug to him.

He avoided the beast as best he could, confining himself to his room for the most part. The boy was thankful that his outburst had not garnered horrible consequences, but he was still wary, and the quiet stillness of the castle made him uneasy, perhaps more so than if the beast were about. He had no idea where he was or even what he spent his days doing, but perhaps it was better that way. It still didn't ease his nerves.

After that incident, the beast no longer demanded they dine together. The servants would come to the door and offer an invitation, but Roxas always refused. After what he had seen, he wanted nothing to do with Axel in any way, and as long as the beast wasn't forcing him, he had no obligation, no guilt.

And why should he feel guilty? He had done no wrong. He spent his days mourning, causing no stir nor trouble anywhere. It was the least the beast could do to leave him alone.

Demyx seemed particularly upset by his antisocial behavior, and he tried his hardest to encourage Roxas to dine with him. He offered no other possibly activities, and the blonde was glad of that. But the candelabra did pester him frequently, waking him or simply trying to chat with him when the boy tried to be alone. The servants were omnipresent at all times, whether it be Marluxia or Demyx or one of the other countless objects, but Demyx was the most frequent visitor.

Finally, Roxas decided to indulge him.

"Demyx?" The candelabra looked up, smiling at the sound of his name. Roxas forced a small smile of his own. "I... admit that I am bored of all this sulking. Does the castle have any diversions?"

Demyx brightened. "Of course, young master! Come with me, and we shall find something!"

Hesitantly, the boy left his room, following his servant with a few nervous glances at the vast, dark corridors around them. It was so silent, so empty. Roxas wondered who lived here before, if anyone ever did. Had the beast conquered the castle and surrounding land, driving away the rightful owners? Or did he and his strange vassals always live here?

Demyx hopped onward at a quick pace, prattling on about the various parts of the castle.

"We have a magnificent library too. The envy of the land, I'll have you know! What's more...ah! I have it! We have a hedge maze out in the courtyard, although by now it will have been neglected and overgrown..."

Looking out a passing window, the blonde shook his head.

"Even if it were managed, it's snowing now." How long had he been in this place, that snow was already falling? "By morning, it will be far too deep."

"Well, the Master could walk it," Demyx continued. "You would be far too short for it, young master." He chuckled as his charge glared daggers at him. "Pardon my jest."

"What else is there?" Roxas asked, intent on changing the subject. The candelabra looked thoughtful.

"Hmmm...Well, the art gallery is still intact, if a little dusty. We have an old armory just down the hall from all of those suits of armor...And then we have-"

"Demyx!"

The two looked up as Luxord waddled over, looking to his fellow object skeptically.

"Good to see the young master up and about. Might I ask what the occasion is?" He shot Roxas a look, and the boy frowned, feeling himself blush slightly.

"I wanted to stretch my legs a bit," he said shortly. "I also hoped to find some new activity to occupy myself."

"Well, your best bet is the library then. Are you interested in books, Master Roxas?" The boy nodded.

"What kind of library is it? I prefer to read fiction, but I do like uncovering new theories."

"We have books on every subject. Scientific, historic, fiction, non-fiction, anything your heart desires."

Roxas genuinely smiled then. Being in this gloomy place, he had almost forgotten his love of reading. Perhaps that could help a bit.

"Could you please take me there?"

"Of course!" Demyx exclaimed, cutting off the decidedly less-enthusiastic clock. Luxord scoffed.

"Yes, well, if you will follow us."

He did, until they came upon a long hallway, leading up to a staircase he hadn't seen before.

"What's there?" he asked, bringing the group to a halt as he pointed. Luxord shook his head.

"This is the western part of the castle. That is the west wing, the Master's private quarters."

"Not at all interesting, I might add," Demyx said quickly, waving his wick hands dismissively. "The Master just likes to keep to himself."

Roxas nodded, then paused as he got an idea.

"Before we go to the library, could you both run to the kitchen and bring me something to eat?" Luxord raised a wooden eyebrow and Demyx just looked lost. Shuffling a little, the blonde looked down nervously. "I feel very hungry all of the sudden."

"Of course we can, young master. But you should come with us so that we can be sure to find something you like," Luxord said simply. Roxas shook his head.

"I'll sit on the steps and wait for you. I shouldn't take food into the library, but I didn't want to turn us around when we were nearly there already. We are, aren't we?" he asked, looking down at Demyx.

"Yes, it's just down the hall from here. But why send both of us?"

The blonde blushed, looking very bashful then.

"I was hoping for a piece of cake," he admitted. "My father was never very good at cooking, but he always made the best cake I ever tasted. I just thought that maybe...if I could have a piece and read for a while, I would feel better." He was fudging a bit, but not by much. He really did feel homesick. And it was true; Vexen invented a cake recipe that only seemed to taste better each time.

Demyx gave him a look of pity, locking arms with Luxord, who struggled uselessly.

"Of course, Master Roxas! We can bring you a piece of cake! You can even eat it in the library, so long as you don't make a mess!"

The boy smiled sadly. "Thank you. I hate to trouble you, but-"

"Think nothing of it! We'll be back in a moment!"

"Demyx, you dolt! Unhand me this instant!"

The candelabra dragged Luxord off with him, and once the two were out of earshot, Roxas sprinted to the end of the hall, up the stairs, and out of sight.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Roxas stared in awe and horror. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but somehow, this possibility hadn't even dawned on him.

The wall of the corridor was decorated in rust stains and tears, slashes that varied in length and seemed like they had been marked at random. But Roxas followed them quietly, stopping to run his fingers over the torn paper, and shuddering when he saw the deep claw marks in the wood beneath.

'Those could have marked you,' he thought to himself, remembering how the beast had towered over him, snarling, almost prepared to strike.

'Surely not...'

Roxas crept quietly forward then, checking to make sure Axel wasn't around before he opened the door at the end of the hall.

Inside, he found a dark, dusty room that was even more torn up. Roxas drew back a bit when a foul, dead smell assaulted his senses. It was like the smell of mold and rotting wood, mixed with some nauseating third thing he couldn't possibly identify. But after a minute, he pressed on, his curiosity outweighing both fear and common sense. He wanted to know what the beast was hiding, if anything, and perhaps discern his fate. Maybe there was more reason to why he was kept here, why Vexen had been kept here.

Roxas blinked around, adjusting his eyes to the low light. There was an old, king-size bed in the corner of the room, its sheets torn and red. Whether that was their actual color or not, Roxas didn't know, but he shuddered as he remembered the horrible smell he'd encountered at the door, and chose not to think on it too long. After making sure that none of the objects in the room moved or talked, the boy stepped inside and began looking around more, moving slowly, cautiously. He listened for any telling sound, any reason to believe the room's private inhabitant was returning.

On the wall nearby, there was a picture, slashed and dust-coated beyond all possible recognition, but Roxas could barely make out striking green eyes staring at him from inside the frame...

'Why do those seem so familiar?' Roxas stepped closer to it and ran his hand over the ripped canvas, looking into those green eyes for a while. They were very entrancing, beautiful and intelligent...

Beside the picture there was a long, wooden table, littered with a mess of trinkets and torn papers. As he sorted through some of the clutter, Roxas noticed something golden buried under the mess, its faint sparkle catching the corner of his eye. He brushed away more trash and discovered that it was a small golden locket, round like an egg with beautiful designs etched into the metal. It bore the letter "A" vibrantly in cursive on the back, and the boy guessed immediately that it had been made for Axel.

It was old and obviously hadn't been opened in a while, so it took some prying and effort to get it to open. Roxas opened a drawer and pulled out a small, slender pen, pushing the edge of it into the side and applying as much gentle force as he could. He didn't want to damage this beautiful little treasure, and not just because Axel might scold him for it later. It was truly a work of art, cool and gleaming even in the darkness of the room. He had never held something so valuable in his life.

But when it did finally open up, Roxas pulled it open slowly, blowing the gathered dust away. Rubbing the rest with his thumb, the boy looked at the picture and gasped in surprise.

The image was slightly faded, but the golden, spiky hair and bright blue eyes that stared up at him were as plain as day. The person in the picture looked exactly like him, only a little younger and bearing a more relaxed, carefree expression. It was so eerie, the way the other boy smiled out at him, with a shy but affectionate gaze that seemed to speak even more than simple words would have.

What did it mean? Roxas had a hard time believing someone out there had actually befriended, or worse, _loved_, such a violent, angry, terrifying beast. With his mind reeling with questions, Roxas clutched the locket tightly in his hand and began searching the rest of the desk for answers. Who was this boy who looked exactly like him? What was Axel's relationship to this boy? He knew it affected him somehow, and he had a right to know.

Then, a glimmer of something red caught his eye, and Roxas stopped what he was doing and turned slowly towards the window. At first he was afraid that Axel might have found him, but he relaxed a little to see that the light was coming from a small object sitting on the windowsill. It was a shimmering red rose sitting in an old grey flower pot, bursting in full bloom as the petals slowly expanded to reveal its center. It was easily the most vibrant thing in the sad little room, not at all dusty or blemished. But for the strange, faint glow it seemed to have, the flower could have been freshly picked.

Roxas felt himself enchanted by it, drawn to move closer as its petals unfolded, seemingly right before his eyes. The rose was so beautiful that he wanted to touch it, just to know that it was truly real. It seemed almost magical, and as he drew closer, the boy couldn't help but feel that its pull was magical as well. Smiling softly, Roxas reached out his hand slowly, hoping to touch just one single, soft petal. But as careful as he was, the little blond failed to notice the shadow creeping over him until it was too late.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

A large, red paw shot out and grabbed Roxas by his wrist, jerking him away from the rose. Roxas looked up and instantly met the gleaming, angry green eyes of the beast, his heart suddenly freezing at the sight. Compared to the dinner incident, Axel looked positively livid.

The beast roared as he pulled the struggling boy closer, ignoring the trembling and the look of pure terror in his eyes.

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!"

Roxas fought hard not to scream; if he had been able to pull away, he was sure he would have stayed frozen to that spot. No anger came rushing to his aid now; only a cold, blinding fear.

"WHY DID YOU COME HERE?!"

"I-I just..I didn't-"

"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU COULD HAVE DONE?!" he snarled, slashing his claws against the wall beside them. The wallpaper ripped with a shrill sound, and the blonde struggled harder.

"Let me go!"

The beast looked down then, his eyes widening when he saw the locket clenched tightly in Roxas's other hand. In a swift, harsh motion, he snatched the boy's other wrist, squeezing so tightly that he cried out in pain.

"GIVE IT BACK OR I BREAK YOUR ARM!"

"S-Stop! It hurts!"

"GIVE. IT. BACK!" he bellowed louder, clenching his fist.

Roxas dropped the thing immediately, pressing his wrist to his chest when the beast let go. It throbbed painfully, but his eyes stayed trained on Axel, who caught the locket before it hit the floor and glared back at him menacingly.

"HOW DARE YOU SNOOP THROUGH MY THINGS!" The broken chair beside the window was airbourne in seconds, giving Roxas little time to avoid it. He barely managed to duck, letting it sail behind him and shatter on the floor. "YOU LITTLE THIEF!"

Roxas shook his head vehemently, backing up as much as he could. "I'm not a thief! I-I would never steal anything!"

"LIES! ALL OF IT! YOU'RE A THIEF, HERE TO TAKE WHAT LITTLE I HAVE LEFT!" Axel grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the ground until his legs were kicked wildly, searching for solid footing. "I'LL TEACH YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL WHELP!"

The blonde sobbed, gasping, "N-No, please! I'm sorry! P-Please stop!"

Axel roared angrily, shoving him back until Roxas collided with the wall, groaning as he crumpled to the floor in pain. The force knocked the wind right out of him, and he might have passed out if his body weren't burning, desperate to escape. To live.

"GET OUT!" the beast roared, slamming his fist into a bedpost and splintering it. "OUT!"

Roxas didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled weakly to his feet and quickly fled from the room, even as Axel continued to thrash and tear his chambers to shreds...


	7. 7

Roxas raced in an almost blind panic through the dark halls, unheeding everything that had once frightened and awed him. His heart pounded frantically in his chest as he rounded the corner and finally reached his room. There, the boy quickly shoved some things into his bag and threw it over his shoulder, ignoring Marluxia's questions and running out again just as quickly as he had come.

Soon, a faint sound beat against the stone floors behind him, and Roxas knew even without looking that the beast's servants were following him. He didn't care.

"What have you done? The Master is furious!" Demyx supplied unhelpfully, stopping at the top of the staircase with Luxord just behind him. "It will be hours before he- Wait! Young master, where are you going?"

Seeing the boy sprint for the door, Luxord knew immediately where Roxas was going.

"You cannot leave!" he cried. "There's a storm brewing out there now! It's far too dangerous!"

Roxas looked back only briefly, as he shook his head and gulped for air.

"I-I can't stay here anymore! I'm going home!"

"Young master, please wait! It's too dangerous!"

"You promised!"

"Hang my promise!" Roxas snapped, pulling the heavy doors open and shivering as a cold, snowy gust of wind blew inside. "I'll not stay here and wait to die!"

The boy slammed the doors behind him and ran around to the stable, quickly saddling his horse. He tightened the girth with trembling hand, even colder now. But he had no gloves.

"Come on, boy. W-We have to go now..." Proulx snorted in response, looking at the woods fearfully, but stood still and calm enough for his master to finish tacking him up.

"I know, but it's better than staying here."

Taking a deep breath, Roxas pressed his head into the saddle and tried forcing himself not to tremble so violently. He wasn't really thinking clearly at the moment, but he couldn't be bothered to care. There couldn't be room for doubt now anyway. Axel's threats were painfully fresh in his mind, and Roxas knew he wanted to leave this cruel, dark place as soon as possible. He owed this horrible creature absolutely nothing.

He would just take his chances in the woods, and try to make it home to where he could at least be safe...wanted...loved...

The blond felt a particularly nasty tremor wrack his body, and he paused a moment to let it pass. It was a much colder night than it had been before and he'd never seen a storm like this in the city. Not letting it distract him too much, Roxas tugged a bit impatiently at the reins and led his skittish horse to the gate. He then brushed the ice from the cold bars with his bare hands and pulled them open before mounting up. Then, with some coaxing, he urged Proulx forward, soon galloping off into the snowy-white landscape...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was dark and cold, and the snow piled high around them, making the going slow and cumbersome. Even as tall as he was, Proulx struggled when they strayed off the path, and with limited light and the heavy white blanket covering the ground, Roxas could barely tell where the road _was_ anymore. They had made it quite a ways from the castle, but it wasn't long before the little blond was utterly lost.

He leaned into his horse's mane for a moment, resting against it in the hopes of finding some added warmth there. It was so bitterly cold, even with the cloak wrapped around him tightly. Roxas breathed into his hands to lessen the numbing cold feeling and wasn't surprised when he saw a thick, warm cloud escape him. He couldn't be completely sure, but his fingertips looked almost blue.

From the silence of the woods and the darkness all around them, the boy assumed that it was some time in the early morning. He leaned heavily on his horse's neck and shut his eyes a moment. Despite his nerves and the blistering cold, he felt so very sleepy...

The wind began to howl a little, blowing through the trees and sending another nervous shiver down Roxas's spine. He looked up from Proulx's mane when the horse came to a stop in the middle of a large fork, prancing and pawing the ground nervously.

Roxas sat up and reined the horse in, realizing that he must have found the path again. They had come upon a sign post pointing in several different directions, standing alone and quite out of place in the surrounding blanket of pure white. One of the arrows probably led back to his village, and another might lead him back towards the castle, if he needed to regain his bearings. But there were more signs, and the words were scratched and illegible.

"W-What do I do?" he stuttered, squinting uselessly. "Which one is it?"

Proulx shrieked and shuffled to the left, just as a menacing growl drifted out from that direction.

The boy's eyes widened as he turned and saw what had found them. A large pack of mangy, flee-bitten of wolves descended slowly into the clearing, golden eyes gleaming viciously as they prowled towards them. Their bodies looked ridiculously frail, with prominent, thin ribs and bellies, and sick-looking patches of bald skin in various places. Their haggard appearance made them all the more terrifying, and Roxas knew with sinking dread what they had set their sights on for dinner.

"No, no, no...This can't be happening!" Roxas pulled back on the reins, guiding the now panicking horse to back up until they had room to turn. The wolves didn't stop stalking towards them, growling and snarling, gazes fixed on Proulx's flank.

In a split second, Proulx panicked and reared, giving Roxas little time to grab hold so he could keep his seat. He flung his arms around the gelding's neck and squeezed his thighs tightly, clinging for dear life as the horse bolted. It caught the rabid animals by surprise for a moment, but soon the snarling, snapping maws were trailing close behind, dogging them with every step with remarkable speed for such thin, starved bodies.

Roxas's heartbeat fluttered wildly as he tried in vain to steer the horse through the thick trees and snow. He risked a quick backward glance and gasped, noting how close one of the wolves had just come to slashing his horse's side. They were almost on either side of them now, and Roxas jerked his leg away before a wolf could take a daring snap at it. He desperately wished he had something to swing or throw at them, but he didn't dare loosen his grip on the horse's mane as they fled. Proulx ears were twitching frantically, his eyes practically rolling back in his head. Roxas feared that if he loosened his grip in the slightest, he'd fall into the very jaws of death.

After some time, many of the wolves had actually given up, deciding that their potential meal was too quick and healthy to be taken down easily. The weather was also whipping harshly about them now, throwing snow and wind in their faces as their target hastened onward. Roxas felt his tears freezing to his cheeks, it was so cold. But there was nothing he could do except hold on and pray that Proulx knew where he was going.

Several wolves that kept up the chase, however, and Roxas guessed that these would not be deterred. Banking a hard right to try and shake them, Roxas looked around frantically, wishing for some familiar scene to guide them.

'Please…please just let me go home...'

Then, without warning, Proulx stumbled on something hidden beneath the snow, and Roxas cried out as he was flung headlong from the saddle. He instinctively kicked free of the stirrups and rolled forward, hoping to avoid being crushed should his horse fall on top of him, and quickly found himself tumbling into a deep bank of cold, wet snow.

The little blond shook his head to clear it and quickly began digging himself out, clawing for purchase as the white powder slipped between his frozen fingers. When he was finally free, Roxas shivered violently and rubbed his arms in a desperate attempt to warm them. Now he was soaked through to the skin, spelling trouble for them if they ever managed to escape the wolves, which now seemed unlikely. But Roxas had little time to think coherently when he heard a shrill cry, and saw that Proulx was attempting to fight off several ferocious, angry wolves by himself. He was bucking and kicking at them, only narrowly avoiding the snapping teeth.

"Get away from him!"

Roxas ripped a low-hanging branch from a nearby tree and rushed to the horse's side, swinging madly at one wolf who was about to pounce on Proulx's unguarded left flank. At least four wolves accosted them now, and they each took turns charging and lunging, only to be kicked hard by the horse's hooves. Roxas covered him from the rear, knocking away those wolves that tried to sneak past.

"Get back!" Roxas shouted, taking out a young wolf's legs as it leapt back, snarling in pain.

But while the boy wasn't paying attention, from out of the darkness a wolf lunged and crashed on top of him, sending him sprawling back into the snow with a cry of pain.

As Roxas blinked, feeling dizzy and short of breath, he gasped fearfully at the dark, fuzzy shape sitting heavily and painfully on his chest, weighing him down deeper into the snow. Yellow eyes narrowed at him hungrily, and the large mouth opened, revealing several sharp, pointed teeth. It licked its chops briefly, breathing a foul, hot breath right in his face.

"Proulx, help!" He looked to the horse, who was surrounded and barely keeping himself intact. Proulx called back to him, trying to reach him but cut off at every opportunity.

He was on his own.

The wolf on top of him snarled, and Roxas squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for the teeth to rip into his throat...

But there was no new pain. There was a yelp, and the weight on his chest was gone. The boy blinked in confusion, which quickly became panic again when he saw that, in place of the ferocious wolf, the dark, hulking figure of Axel now towered over him.

The redhead was standing on all fours, his hackles raised and teeth bared threateningly. His venom green eyes were narrowed in animalistic rage, his body prone and poised to kill.

Axel moved over top of him then, as the wolves began to take notice of him. He leaned low over Roxas and snarled at the wolves, who answered with equal hostility, turning away from the panicking horse.

With a mighty roar, Axel charged forward and slashed at the lead wolf, leaving a gaping, bleeding mark as the animal yelped in pain. The other wolves tackled the beast and clawed at his face and back, but Axel slammed them into the trees and fought back with his bigger, stronger claws...

Roxas laid there frozen in a daze, desperately trying to catch his breath as he watched Axel tear into another wolf's side, scarring the flesh and painting it and the surrounding snow red with blood. The boy tried to sit up weakly, unable to tear his eyes away from the terrifying scene before him. He wanted to move away from the slaughter, do _anything_ but just lie there helplessly, but the cold and fatigue wracking his body kept him still, glued to the spot where he'd fallen. He could only listen to the rapid pounding of his heart and watch with hazy eyes as the wolves were tossed like rag dolls and slammed into the trees with teeth-chattering force.

One by one, they yelped and ran back off into the darkness, their fading howls and footprints the only sign that they had ever been there at all...

Axel panted raggedly, stooping back on all fours to steady himself and catch his breath after the tiring fight. His bright green eyes moved slowly over his surroundings until they finally landed on the fallen boy, and they slowly softened out of the narrow, angry slits that they had become when he had been fighting.

"Roxas," he panted harshly, "are you hurt?"

The little blond's chest was heaving painfully now. The cold was spreading a slow, deathly chill over him that made it hard to even twitch his fingers. Nothing felt very distinct except his throbbing head and a strange sting in his side, and there was a warm wetness there when he touched it, wincing faintly. He couldn't think, or even breathe almost...

_"Roxas..."_

The voice was fading into darkness along with his vision. Roxas fought to stay awake; he needed to escape, but the pain and fatigue were too much for him. The boy let out a soft, shuddering breath in the cold, as his hazy eyes drooped shut. He succumbed to troubled, restless sleep even as the wind howled all around him, whipping at his hair and flesh mercilously. The last thing he saw were familiar green eyes, suddenly soft and caring, watching him from the darkness...


	8. 8

Darkness. Burning. A tight, crushing pain.

Roxas lingered listlessly, listening to the voices that drifted in and out of his consciousness. He couldn't decipher the words or what they meant, but the presences alone were a great comfort to him, tying him to the world outside.

If he did dream in that strange, dark place, he didn't remember.

In time, the boy felt the darkness weakening, no longer keeping him firmly locked in limbo. With some effort, he creaked his eyes open slowly.

The room in which he slept was quite dark, and the shades drawn down to reveal a single line of light around the windows seeping in to the room...

Roxas coughed, raising a hand to his head and feeling a slightly uncomfortable warmth to the skin. His first instinct was alarm, but he forced himself to calm as he moved to sit up. His legs were being pressed down by something thick and heavy, and when Roxas raised his head he saw several large woolen blankets had been piled on top of him.

With a soft groan, he managed to kick them off. Roxas hunched forward to stay upright and glanced around at his bed this time, noting vaguely that it was quite large and soft, with lush, velvety curtains hanging loosely around the edges. He realized that his clothes were sitting folded on a chair by the bed. They had been replaced by a simple dressing gown.

_'_Where_ am _I_?'_ He sighed, rubbing his forehead a bit when he felt a dull pain settling there. _  
_

He almost jumped when the door flew open and a familiar little candelabra hopped in to greet him.

"Good morning, Roxas! Are you quite well now?"

Roxas turned to face him, confused for a moment. Then it registered.

'I'm...I'm back at the castle?'

"I...I suppose so..." _That _was his voice? It sounded awful; weak and croaking like a toad. Exactly how long had he been asleep?

The blonde shifted, trying to stand up then. But he paused mid rise, feeling his legs quake unsteadily under him. Grabbing the edge of the bedside table, he was able to lower himself back down carefully, panting slightly with the effort. He would have crumpled otherwise.

"Be careful," Demyx said worriedly, hopping over to the bed beside him. "Your fever has barely broken. Perhaps you should remain in bed until your strength returns."

Roxas sighed, sitting back and rubbing his temple in a soothing motion. He was getting a bit of a headache, but the bed was quite nice, he admitted. As he laid his head on the cool pillow for a moment, he pondered the situation.

Why was he here? Surely he would have died in the forest; if not by wolves, then most certainly the chilling snow and icy wind. Had Axel brought him here? If so, why? Surely the beast hated him now?

The blonde shivered, folding his arms and hugging himself tightly. Perhaps...perhaps it made sense. He was property, after all, collateral offered in exchange for his father's life. Perhaps Axel would lock him in the tower now; that way, he could not escape or snoop against the master's wishes.

Roxas was caught between the dull throbbing in his head and the questions on his mind, that he completely forgot that Demyx was still lecturing him.

"Weren't you listening, Roxas?" the candelabra snapped, annoyed. The boy looked at him blankly, and he sighed. "Axel has asked that I take over your care. He could not put off treating his injuries a moment longer, but he promised to come before sunset at the latest. Then he will help redress your wound."

"What?" Roxas blinked again, remembering the pain he'd felt before falling unconscious. He felt his side for a moment, finding the bandaging easily. "Oh!" That was where he had been clawed. A wolf had attacked him.

"Do not worry," Demyx said quickly, seeing him become alarmed. "It has not infected. Axel saw to it personally. It should heal in a matter of days."

'He treated me? Personally?'Roxas wondered silently. But wasn't tending to guests what the servants were for? The boy sat still for a moment or two, placing a small hand over his side and gently pressed it against the bandaged wound.

'Was he here this very morning?...'

The boy looked up then, worrying his lip as another troubling thought occurred to him.

"My horse…?"

Demyx waved him off easily. "Taken care of, of course. A bit spooked and scrapped, perhaps, but he'll be fine. A remarkable animal, I must say. Very intelligent and loyal," the candelabra added, crossing his arms behind him. "He's been on edge ever since you left his sight."

Roxas nodded as he tried to stand up again. This time with a bit more grace, he slid off the bed and managed to stay on his feet. Ignoring the sudden flare of nauseous hunger and the shaking of his legs, the boy shuffled carefully and quickly to the door.

"Roxas, wait! You should really stay in bed!"

Ignoring Demyx's protests, he headed for the hall, his bare feet sliding along the smooth carpet.

'Axel...Where would he be now?'Roxas shivered to himself and prayed that it wouldn't be the west wing. He doubted he'd ever be able to go there again, if only because of the memories that place would surely spark.

He was quick enough and took longer strides than the little candelabra was capable of. In no time at all, he had lost him.

"Young master!"

The boy turned to see Luxord hopping toward him, as a procession of moving brooms and buckets swept by through the hall behind them.

"It's good to see you are well! The master will be greatly pleased."

Roxas stiffened a little at that. It was true, then; Axel had saved his life. His servants suggested that he was kind, nursing the boy and tending his wounds even after he'd disobeyed him. But Roxas wasn't sure he could trust that. Axel had been nothing but monstrous to him since he'd been imprisoned here.

Luckily, the little blond didn't have much time to worry, as the clock coughed, drawing his attention.

"Surely you must be hungry. Would you care to follow me to the kitchens, young master?"

The blonde shook his head. "Thank you, but I really should be-" Roxas gasped as his stomach suddenly growled very loudly. He looked down sheepishly, blushing as Luxord looked at him.

"Perhaps you could spare a moment to consider your health. Follow me this way, please."

The boy sighed, following Luxord back towards the dining hall. He looked around every now and again to see the castle lit up in the glow of the morning. Even with all the snow outside, the sun was shining brightly through the windows, and it made the usually dark, dreary castle seem a little bit friendlier to him. The blonde watched with fascination, in every room he passed through, as the various servants set about preparing for the day, whether that was by cleaning and straightening up. Some of them waved to Roxas as he passed and, even though it was a tad awkward, the boy couldn't help but wave back and smile slightly. There _were _actually many objects here that were very friendly...

After some time, the two of them reached the dinning hall, where there was a large spread of fruits, cheeses, and pastries laid out ready and waiting. Feeling his belly groaning again, Roxas tucked in with fervor, loading up his plate with anything and everything he could get his hands on. He was glad to see the sickness and worry had not ruined his appetite.

"That was wonderful!" he said to Luxord cheerfully when he'd finished.

"Well, you appear to be recovering splendidly," the clock replied, arms folded tightly in front of him. He did not seem to be sharing all of Roxas's enthusiasm, however.

"Now that that is finished, perhaps you could enlighten me..." Roxas blinked, looking down at him curiously. "What possessed you to go out in the middle of a snowstorm? Into that god-forsaken forest, no less. Young master, you are lucky to be alive, much less healthy."

Roxas looked a bit startled by the change in tone, but immediately he felt anger flaring. Why did Luxord have to dampen his good mood?

"What is there to say?" the boy replied softly, casting his eyes away. He really just wanted to put the whole experience behind him...or at least put it aside to think about later. "I felt my life was in danger here. So I left."

"A poor excuse, if you ask me," Luxord scoffed, brushing his worries off with slight annoyance. "The master isn't perfect, any more than you or I. He was angry, of course, but he would not have harmed you."

Roxas bit back a retort. He had been harmed. Axel came at him that night, eyes flaring with intended violence. The boy shuddered, remembering it as he shut his eyes. At the very least, the beast had threatened to crush his arm.

"I won't stand for it," he whispered, just loud enough to be heard. "I agreed to be his pris…his guest here, but I'll not sit idly by and let him abuse me."

Luxord raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"Young master, perhaps you should consider the fact that _you _were snooping around in _his _personal business. He had every right to be upset with you, though he tends to take things a little too far at times, I'll admit. But I stand by my point. He would not have hurt you." Roxas looked at him skeptically. He opened his mouth to speak, but the clock continued, undaunted. "Consider also, that he saved your life. I do not agree with his temper, but it is unjust of you to speak so poorly of him, after all he has done. Especially because you haven't given him a single chance to redeem himself since day one."

Roxas was about to protest, but he stopped. He sat in silence for a moment then, staring down at his empty plate guiltily. Luxord was right in some ways; the boy was trying to justify his own actions by blaming Axel, and that wasn't completely fair. The beast may have been at fault, but so was he. He had foolishly crossed a boundary he had been warned not to, and for no greater purpose than stupid curiosity. Maybe even to be purposefully difficult.

After a few minutes he looked up, defeated.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't tell _me_ you're sorry," Luxord replied, though his expression softened considerably. "Go find the master_. _I think he would appreciate hearing the apology from _your _lips."

Roxas nodded, smiling a little as he got up. Perhaps he could start again, and try to understand Axel better. Perhaps, in turn, the beast would be less, well, beastly.

He had to hold the edge of the table again, as he slowly blinked the black spots from his vision. He didn't imagine having too many more dizzy spells now that there was something in his stomach, but didn't want to move too quickly.

Suddenly, Demyx burst through the door from the kitchens, laughing as a pan sailed over his head and hit the wall right in front of him. The pan yelled indignantly and hopped away, before a tidal wave of objects, all enchanted and shouting, were hurled at the small candelabra by an unseen force.

Luxord smiled a little mischievously, the expression looking so foreign on the clock's 'face' that Roxas was baffled.

"Troubles with Larxene again, I presume?"

Demyx laughed, ducking as another object hurdled over his head, barely brushing against the tip of the flame on his head.

"Heart of ice, that woman. I merely recommended she try something else with tonight's dish."

"That's quite a death wish you have there," Luxord replied, chuckling a little. A shrill voice shrieked from behind the door, and the candelabra had to swerve hard to the right to avoid a kitchen knife slicing into his wax forehead.

Luxord shook his head, chuckling to himself, as Roxas just stood there, confused and a little wary as he too dodged a few kitchen utensils.

"At least she's in a spirited mood today. Now, if you two gentlemen will excuse me, I'm leaving before she directs her unholy wrath at me." He left with a smile, leaving a chuckling candle and a dumbfounded boy.

"Quick, let us go. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Roxas just blindly followed Demyx as he was pulled out the door.

"What was all that back there?"

The candelabra smiled brightly at him, looking happier than usual.

"That was Larxene, the castle's one and only chef. She's an interesting one, I'll give her that, but a little too hot-tempered at the best of times."

The blonde nodded. It reminded him of another soul in this castle.

Feeling a bit daring, the boy asked, "Has Luxord always been so- ?"

"Stuffy?" Demyx grinned when he nodded. "Actually no. You would be surprised. He is quite fun when he wants to be." Motioning the blonde over, he waited until the boy knelt beside him and softened his voice to a whisper. "Ask him to drink with you at some point. I guarantee you'll find a completely different man there."

Roxas chuckled. "Really? But how can an inanimate object drink to begin with?"

"Doubt me if you must, but I promise you, it can be done! And it will be a colorful night!"

The two of them laughed, and Roxas felt his heart lighten a little. In everything that had happened, he'd almost forgotten what it was like to spend time with a friend.

The laughter was soon broken, however, as a few enchanted chairs hobbled down the hall. Roxas and Demyx moved aside so they could move passed, and Demyx noticed the boy's curious expression as he watched the line of objects turn a corner and move out of sight.

"You still don't see it, do you?" Roxas looked at him, seemingly startled. Demyx shrugged. "This place is different from your average castle. I'm sure you guessed that much. But I can't really be the one to tell you," he said quickly, just as the blonde opened his mouth to speak. "Speak to Axel, and think about all that you've seen here. Perhaps then it will be made clear to you."

The boy blinked. Now Roxas was even more curious; to go find Axel, somehow ask him about what he'd found that night, and maybe why the castle was so special in the first place. Why did the objects come to life?

He had so many questions now...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The boy felt light-headed again as he wandered the corridors in search of Axel. Some of the servants stopped and watched as he passed by, but no one spoke to him. After the incident, they seemed just as wary of the master's temper as he was. The boy flushed a little bit in embarrassment, but he didn't attempt to start any conversations either.

He didn't dare go near the west wing again, but thankfully, he would not have found the beast there anyway.

Roxas found his quarry in a parlor on the ground floor. Axel sat close to the fireplace in a velvet red armchair, as he stared at the snow outside. It was creeping up past the windowsill now, probably shutting the castle in until it could melt.

Roxas sighed a little at that. He had no more ideas of trying to escape; not really, but he wouldn't even be able to go out for fresh air. Being cooped up inside so much surely contributed to his antics several nights ago, and look what those events had reaped for him.

The boy then noticed Axel licking a long cut on his arm, one that was looking a little strange. From what he could see, it wasn't infected, but it was very red and irritated.

The beast looked up, expression mixed as the boy went to him quickly and pulled the arm away.

"Be careful. Here, let me." Roxas grabbed a forgotten damp cloth from the floor and set about inspecting the wound, dabbing it lightly.

Axel winced, then growled at him slightly. "I am perfectly capable of treating it myself."

The blonde frowned at him patiently. "Licking it like a animal is not going to heal it. It needs proper attention." Green eyes narrowed dangerously at the word "animal."

"Watch your mouth, boy."

"I'm only trying to help."

That earned him another glare and a growl. Roxas grit his teeth and dabbed at the wound a little harder than he meant to.

Axel winced and pulled the wound away before he could finish. "A fat lot of good you've done. It's because of you that I have these marks." He gestured to other cuts and scrapes, around which some of his fur had been torn.

Blue eyes narrowed as the boy dropped the cloth back on the floor. "I never asked you to come after me."

"We made a deal, and I intend to keep it, even if I must lock you in the tower."

Roxas felt a shiver of fear at that, but he shoved it away.

"It would save me from another moment in your company," he murmured darkly, sarcasm barely hidden in the low tone.

With a snarl, Axel pushed him to the floor, rising from his chair in a quick motion. Standing tall, the beast looked like he could level mountains if he chose.

"You insolent, ungrateful little snake! I saved your life, and this is how you repay my kindness?" The beast stepped closer, teeth barring. Claws raised as if to strike.

Roxas got to his feet, trembling with fear and anger as he snapped back accusingly.

"This isn't all my fault and you know it! I wouldn't have needed saving if you hadn't frightened me!"

"You should have obeyed me! I asked only one thing, that you stay away from my chambers! You could not even do that! You disregarded every word, thinking nothing of the consequences!"

"Well you should learn to calm down and control your temper!"

Axel turned away slightly, grumbling. "I should have known you'd be more trouble than you're worth. Perhaps I should have just left you to your fate."

Clenching his fists, Roxas merely glared at the beast. His body throbbed with the urge to hit, but he didn't dare.

The beast looked at him over his shoulder, eyes cold and weary.

"It is obvious that I have given you too much freedom. If I cannot trust you, and you refuse to accept my hospitality, so be it. When you are well, you will be moved to the tower for the remainder of your stay."

All the fight went out of the blonde in an instant. His face flushed darker, despite himself, as a cold fear coiled in his belly.

"You cannot mean-"

"I do. You will be moved in two days at the very latest. I suggest you rest until then."

The fire crackled, a log splitting apart loudly in the hearth. Roxas stood, mouth agape, unable to comprehend it. How could he do this? He had no right! In their deal, the beast promise him free range of the castle!

One little mistake, and now he was losing all that he had left.

"So...so I am to be banished there forever?"

Glaring over his shoulder again, Axel said, "Unless I change my mind. But one way or another, you're promise will be kept."

Roxas felt cold. There was no hint of humor in those eyes. No compassion, no hope. The beast would never change his mind. He would keep him in the dungeons forever, caged like an animal. Like his father...

His prison cell was shrinking, closing in around him. The world swayed, then churned around him, making him dizzy. Had the earth crumbled below his feet, or was he imagining it all?

The only thing he knew for sure was that he could no longer breathe.

Feeling thus overwhelmed, the boy's shaking legs gave out. Roxas almost swooned from the heat, the images, the emotions welling inside, as they threatened to drain him completely. His knees hit the floor with a soft thud, then he slowly curled inward, hugging his arms to his chest and struggling for air. There was no hope anymore, not for anything. He had come here to apologize, to try to start anew, but now...now he had certainly ruined everything.

The tears came slowly at first, but soon they were flowing freely, and Roxas couldn't bring himself to hide them.

The beast watched him, seeming confused and even a little worried by the reaction. As Roxas tried to calm himself, gasping for air between sobs, Axel pulled on a mask of cold indifference again.

"P-Please, anything but this. Kill me. Spare me this torture."

The beast scoffed. "Such theatrics will not work on me. No, the dungeon is where you will stay. I did not save you in the forest so that I could kill you at some later time."

"T-Then why did you?" the boy demanded, drawing a sudden shocked look from the master. "W-Why do you k-keep me alive, if you hate me so? What use am I to you?"

"That...is not your concern," he returned flatly.

Sorrowful blue eyes bore into Axel, looking so lost and hopelessly helpless. "Tell me what I am here for!" he shouted, falling into strangled sobs again, covering his face in his hands. "W-Why are you so cruel to me? W-What is it you w-want?"

Pausing, the beast turned and looked at him, honest surprise upon his face.

"Speak quickly, boy. In what way have I been cruel to you?" Axel truthfully couldn't understand it. His rules were simple and fair, after all. Roxas had broken his end of the promise, but beyond that, how had been in any way cruel to him? Were there not comforts here, beyond the wealth and imagination of a commoner like him? Luxuries beyond his wildest dreams? Could he not give him anything he desired, should he ask for it?

The blonde looked at him incredulously. "Y-You took everything from me, everything but my life! In all this time, I cannot remember a single kind word you have spoken to me!

I-I know I was in the wrong that night. I came here today to apologize and thank you for your care, but even in light of those brief kindnesses, you treat me coldly. You speak so harshly, but expect me to dine with you and engage in civil leisures together, I-" He was shaking terribly, but it had to be said. Roxas could not bear it any longer. Even as he tried to adjust to life here, damn it, he would be heard!

"I don't understand it at all! And all the while, I live in fear!"

Axel shifted out of the corner of his eye. "What do you mean?"

Roxas looked stunned for a moment. Could he really not see?

He rubbed his watering eyes. "When will I step too far? I am at your mercy, and I have no idea what's going to happen. You showed me quite clearly that even if I mean no harm, if I make a mistake, I could be hurt…o-or..." He couldn't say it. His throat closed before his mouth could even begin to form the words.

His face felt unbearably hot as he hid it in his hands once more. Crying like this was so pathetic, but he couldn't help it. He was terrified. He would die here, surely. Old, withered, and alone, or perhaps young as he was now, in a few short days or months. He'd be beaten to death, or tortured. He would never see his home or his father ever again, nor walk in the warm fields with the sun or the rain on his face.

The boy started when he heard heavy footsteps come closer, and trembled as a large paw grasped his shoulder lightly.

"I didn't intend to cause you such grief." Though he still felt unfairly accused, Axel realized that he was only making things worse. Even if all he said were true, the boy was still very ill. The more they fought now, the more hysterical he'd become, and the stress could hurt his health. The beast hadn't mentioned it yet, but Roxas had nearly died in the forest that night. He had then lain fitfully for many days and nights, hovering barely out of death's reach.

More gently this time, Axel said, "We have much more to discuss, I am certain, but now is not the time. You should rest-"

"No!" Roxas jerked away, startling him. "Do not brush me aside! Listen to me, please!"

"I will, but you must calm down. You will worry yourself sick again," Axel touched his forehead as gently as he could, frowning as he felt the heat there. The boy's fever was spiking, back with a vengeance.

"But you must listen!" Roxas urged frantically. "Don't send me to the dungeons! I cannot bear it! P-Please!"

"Be silent!"

The beast drew him into a surprisingly warm embrace. Hugged tight by ruby red fur, Roxas slowly calmed his struggles and went limp, leaning against Axel's chest. It was...pleasant. Comforting.

Forgetting where he was and who he was with, the blonde nuzzled his face into that warm fur and shivered.

"It's alright," Axel said, his tone unusually gentle."I see now that I was wrong. I...I should have been more understanding. I should not have jumped to conclusions that night, nor overreacted to such an outrageous extent. For these, I sincerely, deeply apologize."

Roxas sighed, murmuring something unintelligible against his chest. Hazy blue eyes fluttered closed, and in moments, he had fallen asleep again.

Axel shook his head then, upset with himself. He'd been so bent on breaking the curse before the enchanted rose could wilt, and the appearance of this boy had given him both hope and yet more impatience. He had rushed, not really caring for Roxas's feelings. And when the results did not please him, the beast had turned angry and cold. Love did not grow from such things, and the boy, who was still mourning for the life he had lost, had retreated further inward, away from him.

Considering it in retrospect, he actually admired the blonde for standing up to him. None of the servants ever did, after all. Axel had only been served these many years, never made to attend to another.

Lifting the boy gently into his arms, his fresh scars once again forgotten, Axel sighed and strode out of the room.

"Don't dream of dungeons and irons," he whispered softly, straining his usually gruff, bestial voice to soothe the sleeping blonde. "I won't lock you away. We will just have to…start again."

From the beginning, but right this time. Axel knew now to be more careful, more delicate in matters with this boy.

"Roxas…"

This one would not flee from him. Not like Ven...


	9. 9

_A young blonde boy was just walking along the corridor one day, minding his own business. For some reason that he couldn't guess, the soldiers were running hectically around the castle; every once in a while, the boy would stop and move to the side to let them pass, watching them curiously. Whatever they were doing, it didn't look like much fun._

_The little boy sighed. He wished there was something to do around this old castle..._

_Then, without warning, the closet door he was passing by shot open, and something grabbed him and quickly pulled him inside, slamming the door once more._

_It was pretty dark inside, and Ven didn't like it. He was never very comfortable with the dark._

_"W-Who are you?" he asked nervously, looking around for whoever had pulled him inside._

_"Shhhh! Quiet, or they'll hear you!"_

_As his eyes were adjusting, Ven saw a little boy just about his age come up beside him and press his ear to the door, listening quietly. He had a mountain of red spiky hair, and his venom green eyes sparkled playfully, even in the dark. Though, the more he looked at them, the boy thought that they were beautiful and brilliant in the dim light..._

_After a few minutes, the other boy sighed and moved away from the door. He turned to Ven and looked him over, making the little blond a bit uncomfortable, but then surprised him when he laughed._

_"You pass!" he said, grinning widely._

_The younger boy raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"_

_The redhead leaned closer, eyes shifting dramatically like he actually thought someone might be around to hear._

_"It means I deem you worthy enough to see my secret hiding place!" he said proudly, gesturing to the room around him. "Not just anyone can know about it, you know!"_

_The little blond glanced around, noting the mops, buckets, soaps, and other cleaning implements with a slight frown. He wasn't impressed._

_"It's just a storage closet, isn't it? What's so special about that?"_

_The redhead grinned again. "Nothing! It's just like every other closet in the castle! That's why no one will ever find me here! "_

_The blonde still looked confused, frowning at him slightly, when the other boy turned around and went to what looked like an old sheet hanging high off the ground on the far wall._

_"I lied a little, though...It does have one thing special about it..."_

_The redhead yanked the sheet away, and instantly light began to flood into the room. The other boy shielded his eyes for a moment, blinded by the bright light, but he soon adjusted to that as well. He liked it much better than the dark, as the room was much less intimidating now._

_When he looked up again, the older boy smiled and beckoned him to the window. The little blond came over and peered through it, gasping as he saw a beautiful view of the forest and mountains beyond. It was practically glowing in the morning light, and all the trees shone in bright oranges, browns, reds, and golds in the spirit of fall. The mountains were blue and purple in the distance, looking like they had just been painted onto the sky that day._

_"Wow! It's so pretty!"_

_"See?" the other boy said softly in his ear, "None of the other closets have windows, and even if they did, you wouldn't get a view like this!"_

_The blonde nodded, smiling at him as he continued._

_"This room didn't used to be a closet. I think once it was much larger, but someone cut it short and closed it off to make room for other things. It's sad almost."_

_The shared a moment in silence, still awe-struck by the land before them. For once, the little blond wasn't bored. He could stare at the horizon forever, if only that were allowed..._

_Finally tearing his eyes away, He looked back at the green-eyed boy curiously._

_"So...Why did you show me? I mean, if it's a secret, what makes it okay to tell me?"_

_The boy grinned widely, leaning in until his face was mere inches away from the blonde's, making him blink._

_"It's your eyes," he said simply. "Everyone's eyes are just like this window here. I can look at them and tell right away what kind of a person you are. And you're a good person. I know it."_

_"So you didn't need to see me first? Just my eyes?"_

_"Uh-huh! I was watching through a crack in the door just as you were walking by, so I knew I could trust you with this important secret!"_

_The blond chuckled. "Hey! For all I know, you were looking at me first!"_

_"No I wasn't!"_

_They laughed for a minute, sitting down beside the window. The other boy stretched and leaned back against it on his arms, before turning to watch him with interest._

_"So who're you? There aren't too many kids around the castle these days, and none of them are my age..."_

_"My name is Ventus, but most people just call me Ven for short. I just moved here to serve under my uncle as his apprentice. How about you?"_

_"I'm Axel. Just Axel."_

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

_From that day on, Ventus became his best friend. As children, they had many fun little adventures together, giving the castle's inhabitants no end of grief and irritation. But the other servants were happy, because the prince was happy. He had everything he ever wanted, and now he had someone to share it with._

_In time, Prince Axel's simple life filled with responsibilities. He had less time for play; he saw less and less of his friend, who also had to work in order to earn his keep. It was then that Axel began to resent his title, if only a little, and yearn for the freedom he had lost so abruptly. Now, every stupid little thing was decided for him, even though his opinion and guidance were asked, his presence demanded. He had little control over what he could and could not do until he came of age. It was a very stressful time for him, and whether or not he meant to, Axel changed._

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

_"I think I've fallen in love, Ven..."_

_Axel sat stretched out lazily along his throne, watching while his friend knelt and washed the stone floors. The two of them were alone, for once, as the prince had requested an hour of free time just to take a break from his agonizingly boring studies. Luxord had surprisingly agreed, so long as he didn't distract Ven from his work. As they had grown older, Axel's advisors had encouraged him to branch out and make new friends, but they had also stressed that he and Ven were servant and king, and thus should act more like servant and king._

_"Oh, really? Who is it this time?" the little blond shot back playfully, still not looking up from his work. He paused for a second. "Wait, weren't you courting young Miss Luisa last week?"_

_"How many times do I have to tell you? Nothing happened! She was the one spreading that lie, all just to spite me!" Axel snapped slightly. After a moment, though, he sighed and reined in his temper. "Sorry..."_

_"No worries. I understand." Ven said, still scrubbing away. "It's difficult to be popular, I supose..."_

_"You have no idea..."_

_It was another minute or two of silence between them before Ven spoke again._

_"So, you were saying?"_

_Axel looked thoughtful. "I was saying I haven't courted Luisa. I doubt I ever shall now, since she is acting so silly about it. Now her sister is another story. She was a real-"_

_"Axel!" The redhead paused, looking at him innocently. Ven sighed. "I meant when you said you might be in love?"_

_"Oh yes! Well, I have sought out so many girls now, and none of them are fit. I thought a good many were beautiful, for sure, but I never loved any of them. I did not know why for the longest time...But now I think I know..."_

_"Oh?" Ven stood up and walked over to one of the windows, bringing his bucket with him. He kept listening still, as he began to wash that._

_"Yes. I think I finally realized what I've been feeling for so long..."_

_The little blond was getting irritated. He didn't like it when Axel was so annoyingly vague like this. That usually didn't mean anything good..._

_Suddenly, warm arms wrapped around him, holding Ven tightly. He was so startled by it that he dropped everything he was holding, hearing it clatter to the floor and spill. The next thing he knew, he was pressed against the cool glass, as Axel leaned in and nuzzled the back of his neck, humming softly._

_"A-Axel? W-What's come over you?"_

_He slid out of the embrace as the prince's hold loosened, and he turned to look into those same green eyes he'd been so drawn in by as a child. _

_"Ventus..."_

_The boy winced. Axel only ever used his name when he was completely serious or angry._

_"Axel, you cannot mean it!" he answered, shaking his head. "I'm a nobody, Axel! Just a butler's apprentice!"_

_"Well why not?" the prince asked, frowning a little in irritation. "Whomever I love is my choice, is it not?"_

_"Well, yes, but-"_

_"Then no body else should matter!" he said, pulling Ven into his arms and burying his head in the smaller boy's shoulder. The blond didn't resist, but his mind was reeling with confusion._

_"I'm sick of those fools always telling me what I can and can't do! I'm the prince! They should be listening to me!"_

_Ven was struggling to think, wrapped in his arms so possessively. How could this have happened? For as long as he'd known Axel, he was sure the prince liked women. Axel flirted shamelessly with them all the time, and while the affair with Miss Luisa had been a misunderstanding on his part, Ven knew that the older boy had... had been with many women. And he himself…._

_Ven blushed deeply. He had never known anyone that way..._

_Ven suddenly snapped out of it, now aware that he was shaking in Axel's arms. No, that wasn't him shaking, but Axel._

_"Please, Ventus...Don't turn me away. If you can't accept me, I don't know what I'll do..."_

_The little blond was at a loss for words, so he patted Axel's back comfortingly as he thought._

_"I-It's okay, Axel," he replied softly, shaking a little himself now. "I won't turn you away. You're my friend. But I don't know what to say…" He'd be lying if he denied having feelings for the older boy, but were they just of strong kinship? Or..._

_The redhead held him tighter, nuzzling into his shoulder. Ven almost jumped as he felt tears dampening there, and he looked back at his friend sadly._

_"I don't care what anyone thinks. Just please..." Axel lifted his head and looked into the younger boy's eyes desperately, his own shimmering with tears. "Please help me sort through these feelings. If you decide you cannot love me, then I will accept that...But please...just give me a chance..."_

_Ven melted. He didn't have the heart to say no, not when his friend was so desperately begging him. _

_"I-I will__, Axel..."_

_It was hard to say, but he said it. Axel smiled brightly, even through the tears._

_Slowly, as if afraid that all that they had built together might shatter in an instant, Axel leaned in and kissed him softly. __It wasn't long before Ven began kissing him back, as he too was caught up in the swirl of emotions. They kissed with a force neither of them completely understood, guided by instincts that had long been suppressed. But it was powerful, and passionate, leaving both of them spellbound even after they drew apart._

_There was no turning back now..._


	10. 10

Yay, another chapter! It's jam-packed with fluffiness and a dash of developmental filler, but I'm liking it, and hope you will too! Thanks to everyone for good reviews and suggestions. :)

* * *

Time passed, and the castle slowly returned to its normal routine. The excitement of that night in the forest wore off, and the servants went about their everyday lives pretty much just as they had before the whole event took place.

Axel found Roxas far more agreeable most days. The boy joined him for meals without complaint, and there were even a few times the beast actually managed to get him to converse with him. Idle chit chat mostly, barely there, but at the very least it was something...

Together, the beast and his guest agreed to start anew and forget all mention of the dreaded tower, but Roxas remained timid, as if he feared a reappearance of the subject. He never denied Axel when his presence was requested, and he spoke a little from time to time, but for the most part he added nothing that could not have been gained from the servants who kept close by at all times. Practically an ornament with no meaningful words or thoughts.

When he was not needed, the blonde spent much time in his room with the door shut. Other times, he could been seen wandering the expanse of the castle wistfully, pausing to stare into space or through some object before walking on. He talked a bit more with the servants, but he kept his distance even from them.

The beast took notice of this, and mused.

"I want to do something for him..." He watched from his balcony as the blond sat on the edge of the fountain in the courtyard, gazing into the frozen water with unseeing eyes. Roxas's expression was tight and empty, lonesome.

"Well, how do you intend to go about it?" Luxord asked casually, hopping up so that he too could look out. Axel shook his head.

"I have no idea." The master ran a paw through his fur and sighed. "He does not seem angry with me, and yet he speaks even less than before."

"Well, if you want my opinion, Master, I think it's wise to keep treading slowly."

"But this is driving me mad!" the beast groaned a little, letting his head fall forward and rest against the glass, a little awkwardly because of his horns.

"Have you considered telling him the truth about us? About you?"

Both master and servant turned to find Demyx standing behind them, candlesticks placed upon his hips like a scolding woman as he regarded Axel.

"You can't really expect the boy to open up to you when you won't do the same! He knows almost nothing about you, apart from your mannerisms."

Axel shook his head sadly.

"I can't..." he whispered, watching as Roxas brought his hands together and blew on them, shivering a little. "I can't tell him that. He'd leave if he knew the truth; he's already seen too much..." Axel thought back to the locket and the image of the bright-eyed, smiling lad it contained. How unlike Ven Roxas looked now, so weary and sad, his blue eyes dimmed.

"Maybe he would help!" the candelabra offered eagerly. "If he just knew about the curse, perhaps he-"

"Whatever you are about to say, it's not that simple, Demyx," Luxord said matter-of-factly, giving him an irritable look. "It's not a kiss or an absently tossed phrase. The Master must truly love another and earn that person's love in return. If the Master told him about the curse, at best, he would taint the boy's reasons to help. That is not love, but pity."

"Oh...yes…I suppose it is." The candelabra looked down, somewhat discouraged, and the three of them let out a long, sad sigh. Axel kept following Roxas with his gaze, watching as the little blonde rose and looked toward the hedge maze at the far end of the courtyard, before he turned to leave.

"_I_ can't force love," Axel said, some irritation in his voice. Thinking on it, he didn't really want to, either.

It didn't really occur to him to ask why.

"You can't give up, Master!" Demyx pipped up, suddenly cheerful again. "Talk to the boy again, but ask him about himself. Take an interest in his life, his hobbies, anything, and go from there."

"Has he told you anything? Anything at all that I might branch from?" the beast asked hopefully.

"Hm..." The servants stood silently for a moment, thinking in tandem. Finally, Demyx began to hop up and down excitedly, beaming all the while.

"I have the most marvelous idea!"

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"A-Axel? Where are you taking me?"

The red beast smiled deviously, tugging Roxas's wrist gently as he led the boy into the snowy maze.

"I have something I want to show you, Roxas."

The little blond sighed. "If I must."

Axel chuckled, looking back over his shoulder and shaking his head.

"Indeed, you must! I have a surprise in store for you. You're going to love it."

Roxas raised an eyebrow at that, then shivered, pulling his scarf a little tighter about his neck as they walked. The beast had given it to him, rather than the servants as usual. It was odd, but a nice gesture. Axel had been nothing but civil to him, ever since the incident...

"I can see my breath, it's so cold!" he whined after a few minutes. "Can't this wait until the spring?"

"No." After a skeptical look from the blond, Axel chuckled and pointed ahead. "You'll like it, I promise."

"You said that already..." Roxas replied tiredly. Axel laughed louder.

"Good! Commit that thought to memory!"

The beast was…so jovial all of the sudden. True, he'd been much more pleasant of late, but Roxas had never seen him smile thus, or laugh so openly. It was as though this were a completely different beast.

He didn't know quite how to feel about that.

After a while, they'd reached the center of the maze. The wall-like hedges were cut short the further they went in, circling around the center in the shape of a broken bullseye. The hedges were all unkempt, frozen, and blanketed in thick, fluffy snow.

Axel pulled him to the middle of the bullseye before letting his hand go, and Roxas crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, looking at the beast as impatiently as he dared.

"We've arrived. Now what is it?" he asked, rubbing his arms a little to warm them up. Other than the scarf, thin cloak, and boots, he hadn't thought to wear anything warmer. The boy had expected to be outside for a few minutes, at most. It had been at least half an hour since then.

Axel grinned, slowly reaching out and taking both of Roxas's hands in his own, larger one. He pressed them up over the blond's eyes, grinning as Roxas groaned impatiently.

"Bold, aren't we?" Roxas rolled his eyes. He felt Axel's arm brush lightly against him as he walked off, and he heard the sound of snow crunching underfoot behind him. "Wait here, and don't open your eyes yet."

The blonde groaned again, breathing into his hands a bit. It was so very cold, and he was tired. He wanted nothing more than to dismiss his host and return inside, but he couldn't. He had to indulge the beast as much as possible.

"Now! Open them!"

Roxas did as he was told, but as soon as his blue eyes blinked open, he saw that he was alone in the center of the maze.

"Axel? Where have you gone?" He took a couple steps forward, then looked to the right and left. "I thought you wanted to show me something!"

"I do!" came the voice, drifting from somewhere behind him. "You have to find me first!"

What was this, a childish game of hide and seek?

Roxas found that hard to believe. Even when Axel had been kind to him, he always spoke with a sad, serious air about him. He was impatient, dark and mysterious. The antithesis of childishness.

The little blond sighed, walking around the circular, natural walls in search of the red beast. Axel was faster than him, and unusually silent on the snowy ground, but Roxas was sure he could end the game if he could just catch a glimpse of red anywhere, even out of the corner of his eye...

"Axel! It's cold!" he whined, rubbing his arms again as he left one section of wall to go explore another. Axel seemed to take pity on him, poking his head around one of the walls and smirking as the blonde began to walk away.

"Over here!"

Roxas jumped a little, not expecting the redhead behind him. He whipped around quickly and made for the part of the wall he'd seen Axel's head disappear behind not a moment ago.

"Aha!" he shouted as he looked around the corner of the snowy hedge. But his face instantly fell in disbelief.

There was no one there. Certainly, no hulking red beast.

"Or perhaps I am here?"

Roxas turned around then, only to be suddenly smacked in the face with an unbelievably cold, wet ball of snow. He yelped and quickly brushed the offending cold away, wincing and almost swearing as he felt a little of the snow on his neck trickling down the inside of his shirt. He glared viciously.

"What did you do that for?"

"No reason!" the beast laughed, molding another ball in his paws.

"Is that so?" he growled, reaching down to form a snowball while the beast was distracted. Roxas smirked despite himself, ignoring the icy, stinging feeling in his bare fingers.

"Two can play at this game!"

The little blonde charged forward, his hand held up slightly as he prepared to pummel Axel with a taste of his own medicine. But the beast was quick on his feet, faster than Roxas could blink and holding his wrist tightly, but not harshly, above his head, stopping the boy's progress. He smirked, leaning in until he was mere inches away from Roxas's face.

"A valiant effort, to be sure, but not enough to conquer me."

He then shoved a handful of half-packed snow into his face.

Roxas frowned, squirming and spluttering as he tried to break free of Axel's hold.

"You cheat! You have unfair advantages over me!" Shaking the snow from his face and hair, the blonde snapped, "If you were my size, I could beat you with one arm restricted!"

"If I were your size, I'd be crushed underfoot by the rest of the world," the beast teased back, satisfied when his companion glared again. Smiling, Axel let go of the boy and took a few steps back, spreading his arms wide. "If you're so sure of yourself, then fire away. I'll give you one shot."

"Are you certain?" Roxas asked, scooping up snow in his right hand.

"Of course I am. Can you make it count, or will you-?"

He wasn't expecting was a cold, hard ball of ice to hit him right in the jaw, sealing it shut for a moment as pain erupted.

"Ah!" Axel held his jaw tenderly, running his paw over the abused bone lightly. He turned back to Roxas, mouth agape as the little blonde began to laugh. It was such a pleasant sound, free and light. Also melodious. Roxas opened his mouth wide as he laughed, and even then, with his face cherry red and his emotions open to the world, the boy was a marvel.

Truly beautiful, inside and out.

Still…

"You can't use ice!" the beast growled. "Now who is the cheat?"

"Serves you right!" Roxas laughed, scooping up another ball of snow and ducking behind the nearest wall. "And I wasn't using ice!"

Axel stared at the spot where he'd disappeared, looking puzzled for a moment before he looked down. There, uncovered in the little pile of snow that had just been chucked at him, he saw…a rock. It sat on top of the pile of snow, and looked hard and heavy.

While he was distracted, Roxas chucked another snowball at him, this time without any added ingredients. The beast shielded himself with his arm, looking up once it had hit and smirking as he stalked quickly over to the boy.

"Don't test me, Roxas. I'm bigger than you."

The next thing Roxas knew, Axel was pushing him into the snow. He yelped at the coldness soaking through his clothes as the beast loomed over him, attacking with big, furry paws.

"Ahahaha! A-Axel!" he gasped between laughing fits. The snow under him was making his back wet and cold, and both sensations were making him very uncomfortable. He choked out another laugh." That t-tickles! S-Stop!"

"No mercy!" the beast replied, laughing openly himself. "Now you are going to take your medicine!"

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The day wore on as they battled in the snow, and it was almost evening before Axel was ready to concede. He shook out his fur roughly, getting out the loose moisture and making the fur puff out ridiculously. Roxas laughed a little at the sight, and he missed the beast's gentle smile as he shivered and looked down at himself.

He was soaked to the skin, and his fingers were almost frost-bitten.

A shadow fell over him, and he looked back to see a worried frown on Axel's face.

"Are you alright?" Taking Roxas's hands, the beast held them together in his, letting his drying fur warm them up.

The boy blushed. "You don't have to…"

"But I will," the master replied. "I should have noticed that you lacked gloves."

"No, I should have…h-have…" Roxas broke off in a sneeze, pulling his hands back so he could rub his red nose. "I'm sorry."

"I think it's time we retired for the evening."

Roxas nodded, brushing the rest of the snow off himself and groaning. A wave of exhaustion hit him like a kick in the gut, and he wanted nothing more in life than sleep.

It was a quiet walk back to the main hall, but the air was easy and free of tension. The silence was companionable and relaxed; neither felt the need to fill it. And the dark decor no longer bothered Roxas, as he walked past the torn rooms and grim statutes without even batting an eye.

It was strange to think, but he was adjusting to life at the beast's castle.

Just before he turned to go to his room, Roxas looked back as a paw fell upon his shoulder. He met Axel's venom green eyes, for once not cold or distant. His gaze was melted, so strangely warm. It was still surprising, though he had seen it several times today already...

"You should not fall asleep before supper. Your body needs food and rest to properly account for today's activities."

"But I-"

Axel placed a finger to his lips. A rather large, hairy, red finger.

"Please…I would feel greatly assured if you eat something. Anything you like."

Roxas blinked at the beast in wonder. Was he…truly that worried?

"I suppose…I could eat something light. Something warm, perhaps?"

Axel smiled, and the blonde found himself stunned again by the expression. 'So foreign on that face…'

"I'll have Larxene make a broth for both of us. And perhaps some hot tea?" Roxas nodded dumbly. "Good. I'll have her start immediately. In the meantime, will you come with me? We may dry off and relax at our leisure."

The little blond wanted to decline; to return to his room, collapse in bed, and never wake up again. But Axel was persistent, and Roxas didn't want to ruin his cheerful, generous mood. It was refreshing, and his companionship was new. Very pleasant...

"Yes."

The beast summoned his servants, and they helped the blonde out of his wet outer clothes, offering instead a nightshift, a warm blanket, and a towel for his hair. Sufficiently clothed again, curling inward into the warmth, the boy smiled and slowly followed his host to a western part of the castle he had never ventured into. It was not the west wing, but very near to it.

There were many doors on either side, and the beast did not explain what purpose they served, but instead led him on, still strolling in pleasant silence.

Axel opened two large doors at the end of a long hall and beckoned him inside, into a room that was completely dark and quiet. Roxas's looked around curiously for a moment, but could make out nothing.

"Can we have a light?"

"Of course," the darkness replied, and in moments, the beast lit the large fireplace at the far end of the room.

Roxas looked around the room then, his mouth falling open wide. The room was much wider than he'd been led to believe, and the ceiling seemed to rise up forever, its height still hidden in darkness.

Axel busied himself with pulling back the drapes of several large windows and letting a bright light into the room. It was…a library! The biggest Roxas had ever seen!

Rows upon rows of books, shelves towering over him like literal pillars of knowledge. The cases curled around the room in places, dividing it in others, all the while leaving space for a lovely fire in the hearth, before which sat a large armchair. It was red velvet, similar to others he had seen around the castle, and it was perfectly intact, if a little dusty.

The room overall seemed dusty and abandoned, but that was easily remedied.

"A-Axel..." he gaped, his blue eyes widening with delight and wonder. "W-What is this?"

The redhead smiled, coming back to the fireplace and settling himself down on the rug beside the chair.

"The library," he said casually, chuckling a little as the blond continued to stare. "Grand, isn't it?"

" I...I mean, yes…it's…wonderful…"

Axel laughed, motioning for him to come sit down as he patted the arm of the chair. Roxas shambled forward slowly, eyes still drawn to the treasure trove laying all around him.

"I was kept here frequently as a child. Luxord demanded that, above all else, I keep up in my studies." He huffed a little then, eyes narrowing at a section of historic literature. "I prefer the books with pictures, myself."

Roxas shot him an incredulous look.

"But that isn't why we read stories! We read to enrich ourselves, and to spark our imagination." The blond came over and sat down by the beast, smiling as he felt the warmth of the fire touching his fingers and toes and spreading upward. "No two people read books the same way. It's amazing what you can learn, sharing with others. Supposing you find others that read, I mean…"

Axel nodded. "I can see you are passionate about books."

"Oh, yes," Roxas replied, looking shy after his previous outburst. "Reading has helped me so much. When I am sad, lonely, or upset with my life, books make me feel better. They take me away from the moment, help me travel new lands and explore new things…" His eyes grew a little distant as he gazed into the fire, watching the edges crackle and twist. "All from the comfort of home."

"Well, this room has been untouched for a long time. I hate to see it go to waste. I would like to open it up again, but I lack the patience to care for it and its contents properly, so I've decided to give the library away…" His gaze slid back to Roxas, a large smile tugging at his muzzled lips.

The little blond blinked at him, eyes widening in a way that made Axel's heart warm.

"You can't mean..."

"I do..."

"Axel..."

"It's all yours," the red beast replied, placing a paw on his shoulder again. "And just in time for your birthday, isn't it? Perfect."

Roxas gaped at him, blushing as his eyes began to fill with tears.

"H-How did you…?"

"I have my ways," Axel replied smugly, reclining until he was lying down on his side, still watching the blonde with warm eyes. He didn't choose to inform the boy that he'd used his servants to acquire the information, or that he hadn't noticed his guest seeming even more somber than usual, at first.

Roxas smiled a little, but it did not completely meet his eyes.

"This is the first year I've spent my birthday alone. My friends were going to send me letters..." His voice softened a little, and he looked down at his feet, wrapping his arms around his legs and hugging them to his chest. "I wish my father was here, at the very least..."

Axel fought the urge to wince, and instead watched the boy with understanding. The guilt he had felt the first night they had spent together in the castle, and again after Roxas's escape attempt, had returned, magnified. He was imprisoning a child; a kind, noble child, who had a life he longed to return to, who had so much potential laying before him to fulfill, but never would. The beast was selfishly sharing his misery with another, causing it for another, and for a moment, he looked down at his paw, clenching and unclenching it slowly. He was ashamed.

"It's hardly a proper substitute, but I am here. And Demyx and Luxord, they are here as well. You are not alone."

The boy smiled more genuinely, reaching up to wipe away a tear from his eye.

"Thank you." His heart warmed tremendously at those words, and even more at the gift. No one had ever given him something so large before, or so perfectly suited to him.

After a few minutes in silence, Roxas squirmed a little, shifting closer until he was leaning on the beast. Axel raised an eyebrow at this, until he saw the blonde swaying slightly, his eyelids suddenly seeming very heavy. Forgetting all about food, Axel turned a little and tugged the boy closer, allowing him to curl up against him.

"I-Is this alright?" Roxas murmured tiredly, looking up at his host with doubt.

Axel nodded. "Yes. I realize that I am very warm, and…uh…"

"You're very comfortable," the blonde replied, laying his head back and closing his eyes.

If he'd been able to show it, the beast would have blushed in that moment. Instead, he rubbed the back of his head, shifting a bit to prop himself and his guest against the chair.

A few more minutes passed in quiet, as Axel looked around the room, his heart swelling and clenching with so many memories.

"I would like…" He licked his lips a moment, feeling them suddenly very dry. "I would like to learn to read…"

"You…" Roxas yawned heavily before snuggling against him. "didn't know…before?"

"I did, but years without practice has left my skills somewhat…lacking," Axel replied, his voice half gruff and half sheepish. That sentence put things mildly.

"I can…"Another yawn, "teach you…"

Roxas's breathing evened out, as he fell into a gentle doze.

The beast smiled again, his cheeks aching slightly with the effort.

"I would like that very much."


	11. 11

I don't own kingdom hearts and don't claim to affiliate with them in any way. I'd say it more often, but I feel like this crappy writing speaks for itself TwT It's so cheesy, even Squeenix wouldn't want it.

* * *

"You must help me!"

"If you really think I'd believe a story like that, you must be crazy!" Seifer roared with laughter, slopping his mug on the table he was leaning on. "Get him out of here!"

Two of the townsmen grabbed Vexen under the arms, hoisting him off the ground easily, even as he struggled.

"Please, I'm telling the truth! Roxas is in danger! That horrible beast has him locked in a dungeon!"

The barmaids laughed again as they returned their attention to their customers.

"Throw the old man out!" A man cried.

"Please, no! You don't understand!"

"Enough," Seifer said, standing up and pointing to the tavern exit. "Cast him out already. He's disrupting my mood."

"Of course. Come on now, you old coot…"

The door slammed shut, sealing out the cold winter air, and the noise died down as people went back to drinking, smoking, and chatting. Seifer leaned back on his hand, looking pensive as Rai ordered another round for the three of them.

"Crazy old Vexen…Heh, always good for a laugh, y'know?"

"Nuisance," Fuu muttered, downing her drink with surprising speed for such a thin, tiny woman.

"His ravings _are _becoming a bit of a problem…" Seifer agreed, thinking to himself as he sipped his ale. Vexen had vanished from town for a while, and then Roxas had taken his place. Now his father was all over town, going door to door, begging everyone to go on some crazy quest to rescue Roxas from a ferocious beast in a forest castle. The man had always been an oddball, but now he was downright insane, and belligerent.

And then there was the matter of Roxas. Even more elusive than ever, and not a single clue to his return date.

The boy's baiting was becoming more frustrating than alluring, now...

"Relax." Fuu said, taking notice of her leader's mood.

"Yeah! He'll tire himself out soon enough, y'know?" Rai chuckled, grabbing a knife from the table and twirling it absently in his fingers.

"I suppose…"

"Suppose nothing! I'm sure of it! Roxas is probably hiding or something…"

The blonde hummed, frowning across the tavern. All he was sure of was that Roxas had humiliated him for the last time. Next time they crossed paths, Seifer was going to get the answer he wanted, or else…

Or else…what?

"It does make you wonder…" A nearby woman said, having overheard their conversation.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the old git murdered him in cold blood!" Another man chimed in.

"What if he's keeping the boy at home? Running freaky experiments on him and such?"

"What a thought! Quiet now, Peter, or you'll give me nightmares!"

Seifer growled and turned away. Plotting was a hard enough endeavor without all these people around, butting in and tossing their thoughts into the mix.

"_I_ think that man is a menace to society!" Another women replied, slamming her fist down on her table dramatically. "Him and his crazy ideas! That never would have been tolerated when_ I _was a girl!"

"He ought to be locked away with the other loons, y'know?" Rai added loudly. Around the tavern, he received a couple "here, here"'s.

"Banish him," Fuu nodded, grabbing another drink.

Something seemed to dawn on Seifer's face as he listened to noise building up once more. A wide smirk seemed to stretch across his face, and a moment later he was on his feet, motioning to the crowd to get their attention and draw closer. He cleared his throat.

"Perhaps you're right. It's about time we did something 'helpful' for poor old Vexen..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Outside the local watering hole, Vexen crawled to the fountain and sat on the edge, looking down into the icy water in despair. It was snowing again, and the wind was bitterly cold, but he barely felt them. He barely felt anything now.

"Roxas..."

A tear slid from his tired old eyes, but he made no move to rid himself of it. The brightest light in his life had been missing for some time now, trapped in that cold, dark castle with its horrid, unforgiving master.

"My poor boy," the man whispered, weeping softly as more tears fell.

Roxas was one of a kind; witty, fiery, curious, and accepting. So very loving and kind. Vexen was never once ashamed to call him his son. The boy had sold his freedom without so much as a second thought because that was the kind of person he was. Always willing to sacrifice his own needs to help others.

Vexen smiled a little then, despite himself. He didn't deserve such a wonderful gift of a child, but that was not important. Roxas didn't deserve to rot away in his father's place.

Vexen's cold fingers clenched around the rim of the fountain, and a sudden fire boiled his blood.

"If they won't help me, then fine!" he growled, standing up determinedly and making his way back to the farmhouse. "I'll just have to go myself!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Axel stretched out on his tattered bed, lazily flipping through the pages of an old book he'd randomly picked up from the library.

It was a lazy sort of day, as the snow outside had piled high enough to keep them all inside. He and Roxas were to dine later that evening, and for some strange reason, the beast was really looking forward to the meal. It was to be no different than any other meal, and yet, the simple idea of sharing it with Roxas made him feel warm and happy...

While he struggled sometimes with being openly affectionate, the beast was growing very attached to the boy, and tried to encourage open conversation and playfulness between them whenever possible. As far as he could see, Roxas was reciprocating; smiling, laughing, and spending less time cooped up on his own and more with Axel. His favorite activity for them was, to no one's shock, reading, and while the blonde had been visibly appalled by his host's deteriorated skills, he seemed genuinely happy, even excited, with Axel's timely improvement.

The beast felt proud of himself as well. He could read an entire paragraph now, and hardly made any mistakes in pronunciation.

The sky was grey that afternoon; thick with fluffy clouds that blocked even the tiniest bit of sunshine from making its way to earth. The clouds themselves were dark and full, and from the way Axel's fir stood bristled on end, he just knew another storm was on its way.

There were a few advantages to his animal instincts, though he was loathe to admit that.

Axel's eyes lazily dragged to the table beside his bed, where a medium-sized hand mirror rested face down against the wood. It was a very special object to him, that at his request would show him whatever he wanted to see, just short of the future or past. Which was just as well, as far as he was concerned. He hated being reminded of the past, and, until very recently, looked grimly towards the future.

Things were looking much better now, and yet his mind wandered…

On some days he would look into this magical mirror just to get a brief glimpse of the outside world, and more than once since Roxas's arrival, he had used it to curiously observe his guest. Even before they began warming up to one another, Axel found the boy to be highly intriguing. But after a rather awkward scene, in which the mirror revealed a certain young blonde in the bath, Axel hastily put it down and had not made use of the object since.

It seemed that choice was one for the better, however. Not relying on the mirror forced him to be more social and daring, to approach the boy and engage him with questions, conversations, and various activities, until Roxas no longer recoiled at all in his presence.

Indeed, there was no more terror in those vibrant blue eyes.

Axel looked to the table, his smile fading as he lifted the mirror.

Beneath it, he kept an old letter, abused by anger and the passage of time. Axel felt his thoughts drifting towards it, and he growled a little at the memories, still so painfully, horribly clear.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

_"A-Axel..." Ventus whispered, pushing Axel away weakly as the boy roughly bit his lip. "Axel...We shouldn't be doing this. Not here..."_

_The redhead pulled back slightly and sneered. "Let them see! I'm the prince. I can do whatever I want!"_

_"Axel..." The blond couldn't say much more, as the older boy muffled his protests with his lips yet again. He sighed and shut his eyes, leaning back into the kiss despite his discomfort._

_The prince had gotten so bold ever since Ven had accepted his declaration. Several months had passed since then, and now Axel barely made any attempts to hide or even deny their relationship. He had no qualms about affirming it in the most public of places either, which frustrated his more modest lover to no end. _

_No one had spotted them yet, as far as either of them knew, but Axel suspected that Luxord and his group knew about the whole affair. The servants were certainly gossiping about it, from what Ven had told him. Axel would snarl at that, saying it wasn't their business, but ultimately, he did nothing to stop it._

_He did not see how the rumors were hurting his lover. His reputation was shattered, and every moment away from Axel was torturous, filled with harsh words and taunts._

_'Slut' was a common name for him now. Just the thought of the word in his mind brought tears to the tender boy's eyes._

_Axel growled when he felt the blonde trying to pull away, roughly pressing his lips to Ven's despite that. He was so frustrated; he was a prince, but he had no control over his own life and circumstances! And now, the one thing he looked forward to in his busy day was fighting him, denying his advances! _

_Where once were loving teases and gentle caresses, Axel was rough and irritable. He took what he wanted._

_"Axel...Axel, please..." Ven begged, as he finally managed to pull away. "I'm tired. Please, may I retire to my room?" With that, Ven turned and began to walk away. He sobbed softly as he felt the redhead's hand clamp tightly around his wrist, jerking him back a few steps._

_"Not yet." Axel said impatiently. "Ventus, who cares if they see us? There's nothing to fear! Our love is pure!"_

_"Please let me go, Axel. I am tired..."_

_He groaned when the prince ignored him yet again, pulling him back into his arms and embracing him tightly. Axel nuzzled his neck, nipping and kissing._

_"Must I order you?" he purred lazily, and Ven's eyes snapped wide._

_'Slut.'_

_The blonde shoved as hard as he could. His gaze was alarmed when the prince fell back with a groan, his back meeting the wall hard._

_Axel blinked at him for a moment, shock turning into hurt and something darker in his gaze quickly._

_"Fine! Even you're turning against me now!" he snarled, turning abruptly on his heel and storming away. _

_When Axel finally reached his room, he slammed the door shut and threw himself down on the bed._

_"It's not fair!" he growled, burying his head in the pillow. "I hate him!"_

_He had thought things were going so well; he had the love of his best friend, and that was all he really wanted. __But for some reason, now, things had turned very sour. Axel found that he was angry all the time, even when he wasn't overburdened with the court and his lessons, and Ven seemed too reluctant, almost as if he were afraid of Axel._

_He'd never given the boy a reason to fear him in his life! __He had never been unfaithful or cruel or demanding, not once in the time they had been together, so why was he acting this way now? Axel growled, feeling the sting of hurt tears in the corners of his eyes._

_The way Ventus looked at him..._

_"It's as if I'm some sort of monster."_

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

_Axel stirred and glared sleepily ahead, seeing a young servant he knew quite well waiting at his door. The tall blonde stood still and looked very sad, but flinched under the prince's unnerving stare, his face shifting awkwardly between expressions. After a moment, he cleared his throat, ringing his hands nervously._

_"Axel…Your presence is requested in the great hall..."_

_A growl quieted him, as Axel rolled over and buried his face in the pillow. His eyes shut tightly, holding back the growing tears before they could threaten to spill out._

_"You must come out at some point-"_

_"No, I mustn't. I can do whatever I please, least of which is leaving this room."_

_The servant shook his head and stared at the floor in front of the bed._

_"Sulking will not bring him back to you, Axel."_

_The redhead snarled._

_"Nothing will bring him back, Demyx! He is gone forever! Why can you not leave me in peace?" Axel grabbed a pillow and threw it hard at the other boy, who yelped and brought his arms up to shield his face._

_"You have a kingdom to rule, my prince!" the blonde pleaded. "Your personal loss does not change the fact that you-"_

_"SILENCE!" Axel snarled, whipping around and reaching for something on the table. "GET OUT!"_

_Demyx squawked and fled, dodging an old china teapot that flew over his head and shattered against the closing door. _

_The room was silent then, save for the muffled retreating footsteps outside, and Axel eased back into the sheets, panting furiously. He lowered himself back down to the bed, burying his face in the pillow again just as the tears came loose._

_Minutes or hours later, he managed to calm his torrential emotions, reaching for the now crumpled piece of paper that lay on the bed beside him. He read it over again, glaring at the words on the page as if they would come alive and scurry away under his intense stare. And they should, for the truth they spoke was all too real and painful for him._

**_Axel,_**

**_Please forgive me. With all my heart, I pray you will forgive me for what I have done._**

**_I can truly say that I loved you more than anyone I've ever known, more than I ever hoped to love someone, but I can't continue to live this way. I wish that you and I could be together, always happy and smiling like we used to when we were younger, but instead, I am distraught, embarrassed by the sacred things we share. It should not be so, Axel. We are each bound to what life has given us, and knowing that, we are simply too different. _**

**_It breaks my heart, but I do not belong in your world._**

**_Even if we could remain friends, I am not so naive to think that things would be as they were. You are and always shall be dear to me, Axel, but given the choice to have you hate me, or live a foolish dream that is doomed to fade, I must pick the former. I am selfish, I think, but this will benefit you as well, I am sure._**

**_ So I'm going away. You won't find me; please do not search. Instead, strive to be the ruler your kingdom deserves. Treat your people with the kindness and love you always showed me, and more. Do this, and I know you'll be alright. Forget my name and face, for I was never more than a poor peasant boy. I wish you happiness and prosperity in all that you do, and I hope and pray you find someone in your world, who is better for you in every way than me, to stay by your side and guide you._**

**_~Forever your servant, Ventus_**

_If he could, Axel would have ridden out after him. Stopped him before this whole thing got out of hand. But it was too late now._

_The self-proclaimed poor peasant boy, Ventus, was gone forever. Gone from Axel's life, and every life he had ever touched._

_ His journey was cut short by the bitterest of circumstances; a terrible accident, so terrible that Ven's body had been damaged beyond hope of repair, and his horse would never walk again. The boy had died long before he ever reached the castle again._

_The paper in his hand was littered with patches of damp stains and crumples, and Axel sobbed as he crushed the note again in his hand. _

_"I'll never forgive him...Never..."_

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

Axel was jarred from his memories by a soft knock at the door. Growling, he set the letter aside and stalked to the door, pushing it open and glaring down at whoever decided to disturb him.

"What is it?" he grumbled, his emerald eyes narrowing slightly as they met with wide, bright blue. Roxas looked up at him shyly, whatever courage he'd mustered coming there slipping away as Axel examined him, a definite gleam of annoyance in his eyes.

For a moment, it was not Roxas that Axel looked upon.

"Y-You...asked me to collect you for supper," Roxas said quietly, seeing Axel's expression soften as he spoke.

The beast smiled a little, though the expression did not meet his eyes.

"Indeed, thank you, Roxas." He patted the boy's shoulder reassuringly, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind him. "Let's not keep Larxene waiting."


	12. 12

_"Axel, please! The ambassadors are waiting for you! You can't just refuse!"_

_Axel shot his chief advisor a threatening glare, making him flinch. _

_"Of course I can. It's just another meaningless party. I never wanted to spend my Christmas socializing with those posturing peacocks anyway."_

_Luxord sighed and rubbed his forehead irritably. He wasn't in the mood to argue with the prince today, but someone had to talk some sense into the stubborn young man. He hardly ever left his chambers anymore, and it wasn't healthy._

_"It's not as if they ever have anything new to say. Laroche is a stubborn old man that only engages conversation in order to extend his own borders, and Garnier wants to set me up with any one of his five horrible daughters." The redhead scoffed, reclining back in his chair as he rested his head on his hand. "Pointless waste of space…"_

_"I understand, Axel, but-"_

_Another nasty glare was shot his way. Luxord paused and sighed._

_"I understand, Master, but we must keep up appearances, if only for the kingdom's sake. Our position makes us somewhat isolated, and without assistance, we would certainly be struggling."_

_"I know that!" Axel growled, jumping up from his seat suddenly and startling his advisor. He snorted at the older man's nervousness before stalking to his wardrobe and refiling through it for something to wear._

_"Fine, I'll go. But do not expect me to humor them anymore than that. They may command my attention for this evening, but they do NOT command me."_

_. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . . . . . __. . . . . _

_"Excuse me, Master, but there's a woman at the gate," Demyx said, bowing and disregarding his prince's frown. "She wants to speak to the master of this castle, and Luxord has admitted her."_

_"Oh he did, did he?" the prince growled back, storming to the main hall. "That damn fool didn't come to ask me first? The nerve!"_

_Within moments, Axel was led to the elaborate dining hall adjacent to the ballroom, quickly finding his trusted advisor with the trespasser in question. The woman couldn't have been younger than fifty; her long, silvery hair was tied back in a scarf around her head and a large, ugly shawl was draped around her hunched figure. Her face was wrinkled and grey, with patches of filth and dirt upon her cheeks, but her blue eyes sparkled with a depth and wisdom far beyond any Axel had ever seen, even among the elderly at the castle._

_The prince drew back slightly, repulsed, when he saw her. She and Luxord were speaking very quietly, low enough that Axel couldn't hear them, but he grumbled all the same and stalked over._

_"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, not caring that the foreign ambassadors were gathering nearby, watching with disapproval. "Luxord, why have you let this wretched beggar in? Send her away!"_

_The old blonde turned to him, mouth opening as if to speak, but he was stopped as the woman placed a hand on his shoulder, shook her head, and facing the prince daringly._

_"This is the master, I presume?" she scoffed slightly, using an old, delicately carved cane to move closer and closer, inspecting the redhead. She muttered to herself as she observed him, distinctly unimpressed. _

_"Hmph...a mere child. As I suspected."_

_"Excuse me?" _

_"Young man," she said softly, without the slightest tone of reverence, "It is clear to me that you think much too highly of yourself. There is good in you still; oh yes, I can see it! But your heart has been ensnared in darkness. In your own selfishness."_

_Before Axel could retort, the woman cut him off, waving a finger in his face._

_"I require lodgings for the night. It's far too cold for a poor old woman to wander the woods at this time of night, and my bones are weary enough in the process of coming to this wretched old castle. The least you can do is offer me that for my assistance."_

_"EXCUSE ME!" the redhead snapped, his patience completely gone. "WHO ARE YOU TO BARGE INTO MY HOME AND COMMAND ME? I AM THE PRINCE!"_

_"You do not know me. I have every right to ask these things of you."_

_"THAT'S IT!" Axel snarled viciously, gripping the old woman by her thin, bony arm and beginning to drag her back to the door. "GET OUT! "_

_Several of the ambassadors looked decidedly uncomfortable, and Demyx and Luxord took a step forward at once. "But Axe-"_

_"SILENCE!" With that, Axel yanked the old woman to the door and flung her out into the snow, slamming it again in a huff. _

_"Axel!"_

_"NOW BEGONE, YOU OLD WITCH!" the man shouted through the door. "GO FIND SOME OTHER GRAVE THAN HERE!"_

_"A witch, am I?"_

_The voice behind the door was unusually loud, though not angry. It was almost amused, and distinctly inhuman.__Axel shivered as he could hear it above the howling wind of the storm. _

_In the next minute, as a crowd gathered in the hall behind him, the doors flew open of their own accord, and a blinding light assaulted their eyes. The redhead hissed and looked away, suddenly fearful as the light faded to reveal a young woman._

_She was almost a girl, though beautiful like a woman. Her hair was a fair shade of blond, light and no doubt soft to the touch, framing her pale face and cold blue eyes perfectly. The gown she wore was simple and white, only disturbed by the ripple of small sapphires beaded in the fabric. And the moment she revealed herself, the storm almost seemed to stop as the snowflakes froze in the air around her._

_Axel gaped at this beautiful woman before him, finding himself at a loss for words as he sank to his knees. A few tears slid from his eyes and he whimpered pathetically, suddenly terrified. The witch stepped toward him slowly, unhindered by his soldiers and attendants, until she was right beside him. Her blue eyes were cold and emotionless, barely acknowledging the pitiful man before her._

_"I-I...I didn't know...I-I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"_

_"No..." the woman said clearly, her voice like the toll of a funeral bell. "You may be the lord of this castle, but you have lost the mastery of your own heart. You've let it dwell in darkness with the dead, never to shine again on those that give their hearts to you."_

_"Please...I'll do anything..." Axel begged softly, lowering his head when her gaze proved too harsh for him to bear. "Anything..."_

_"There is nothing you can do now, Prince Axel," she said coldly, raising her old cane above her as it transformed in a golden light. "You lack the love and kindness suited to one of power. Let it be love that saves you from yourself..."_

_The cane was now the color of brilliant ivory, and the woman raised it in her hands before bringing it to the ground. As soon as it touched the plush red carpet, a dark, gloomy shadow spread out from under it, slowly overtaking the castle in its tendrils. The people fled in terror, scrambling for the doors as all around there were cries of pain and sadness. The colorful tapestries now grew grey and torn; the elegant statues beastly and deformed. Chaos overtook everything, and as the gloom began to creep over Axel, he leaned forward and gripped the woman's dress with trembling, shifting hands._

_"W-What have you done?" he growled, glaring harshly through the pain wracking his body. "What have you done to me?"_

_The woman merely looked away, and produced from the air a small, hand-held mirror and a brilliant rose, glowing red and brightly in pre-bloom._

_"This rose will bloom until your twenty-first year," she said simply, placing both objects on a gnarled-looking table beside them. "As long as it lives, you have a chance to escape your fate..."_

_"W-WHAT...HAVE YOU...DONE?" Axel snarled, watching in horror as his hands grew larger and claws began to sprout from the tips of his fingers._

_"Your beastly soul will consume you, inside and out," the witch replied, not acknowledging him further, "If you cannot learn to love another and earn that person's love in return by the time the last petal falls, you shall remain this way for all of time, and be left to your heartless ways alone..._

_This will show you anything you wish to see of the outside world." The woman held up the mirror for him to see, before setting it back down gently. "My one gift to you. Henceforth, you and your servants shall be bound to this place, unable to leave. These are the terms that bind you," she finished, turning back to the door as the snow outside began to fall normally._

_"May my spell help you find generosity."_

_Axel grabbed harshly at the back of her gown, ignoring the cries of his changing friends and servants as his emerald eyes boiled with rage._

_"HELP ME? YOU RUINED MY LIFE! REVERSE THE SPELL! I DEMAND THAT YOU SET ME FREE RIGHT NOW!"_

_With a surprising burst of strength, the young woman let loose a blast of magic power, sending him into the wall with a sharp cry. He lay there as a sobbing, red mass on the floor, fur sprouting all over him as he curled into a ball and howled. The witch stood there for only a moment, watching every last scrap of dignity Axel had melt away in his agony, before she moved to the doorway and vanished without a trace._

_"Mark my words, Axel...The test of your love shall be a bitter one indeed. Hold to your hope, for it is your ally, and do not give in to the monster inside..."_

_And with that, the doors slammed shut again, the haunting laugh of an old hag dying on the air._


	13. 13

Yay, another chapter! Hope it's okay! Meanwhile...FINALS FINALS OH GOD SAVE ME FROM THE FINALS! TwT

* * *

Roxas lay peacefully on the floor of the library, staring up at the ceiling as he played with a loose thread unraveling on the old ornate rug. The room was quiet and peaceful, with only the occasional crackles from the fire to disturb the silence, and the lone inhabitant of the room yawned softly, feeling sleepier and sleepier as the time passed away...

He stared up into the dark, high ceiling with a look of disinterest, merely looking for a focus for his already wandering thoughts. Even the books couldn't appease his boredom today; most of the ones he had pulled from the shelves lay strewn about, open and bent back on the cover behind him. And while it was not in his nature to abuse a book, Roxas found himself too lathargic to even roll over and put them away properly. He sighed.

The boy had half-expected Axel to come and join him today, as he had in the previous weeks for their usual little reading sessions. The beast was getting to be quite good now, only tripping over the occasional large word or those that were spelled one way and pronounced another. But all in all, Roxas was pleased with his pupil, and Axel always seemed happy to oblige him, sometimes reading to the younger man for an hour or two before they decided to leave.

But he hadn't come so far that evening. He hadn't come for the past couple of days, in fact. He had been in a bit of a foul, funny mood all week, according to the servants he spoke to, and Roxas tried his best to take it in stride and enjoy a little time to himself...

But despite his best efforts, Roxas couldn't help feeling a bit lonely now and again. Even when the other inhabitants of the house came by to check on him and keep him company, it just wasn't the same. Few of them appreciated the joys of reading at all, if they had even learned to do it in the first place. Roxas just told himself to do what he always did, and sooner or later, Axel would come and join him again. It wasn't his place to go poking around in the beast's matters, especially after he had promised not to. He still shuddered at the memories from that terrible night, unable to put the past completely behind him.

Axel's behavior was starting to ware thin, though. Axel had been acting a little indifferent towards him all week, sometimes being downright cold and irritable. He shut himself up in his room most of the time and avoided Roxas, but seemed strained to be polite and courteous when they did happen to meet. And it seemed silly, behaving this way so close to Christmas. They were less than a week away, and Axel was being a complete humbug!

Roxas sighed heavily and rolled over, now facing the fire. It was the only light he had kept on in the room, being more than bright enough to read by, but now it was dying low and the small clutter of books lay scattered behind him, forgotten. He was bored out of him mind.

The blond stared at the flames for a moment before rising to his knees and crawling over beside it, carelessly tossing another log onto the fire. He poked and prodded the contents of the hearth until the flames sizzled higher, and that the act seemed to have sucked all the energy out of him, because he lazily returned to his place on rug and fell on his side in a heap. It was much warmer now, and Roxas nuzzled his cheek on the back of his hand as his eyes slipped slowly shut, falling into a gentle doze.

He slept that way for a while until, through the fog of his cloudy mind, Roxas began to hear hushed voices chattering right outside the library door.

"Go on in, Axel! I'm sure he'd be happier if _you_ came to get him for dinner!" He heard Demyx's voice coo softly. "He's been missing you this week!"

The second voice sounded far more reluctant to go in, however. Axel's. "I know, it's just...I haven't been having the best time of it recently. I keep remembering..."

Roxas shivered a little, becoming slowly more conscious as he listened to the soft murmurs. As he gazed around the room, his weary eyes registered the embers crackling faintly in the hearth, and the heavy darkness that had settled over the whole room. It was cold now.

"It's getting worse than before. I thought I was finally letting it go, but now, when I see him..."

_Who is he talking about? What am I missing about all this?_

"You can't let your scars haunt you forever, Master," came Luxord's voice matter-of-factly. "If you ever expect to get over them, you must simply forget about Ven and just-"

"I can't forget about him!" Axel's voice boomed back, loudly enough to make Roxas jump. "I can't...No matter what I do, I can't stop loving him..."

Roxas froze when those words were uttered, unable to believe what he was hearing. _Love?_

"Please, Master! Not so loud!" Luxord hissed back, sounding nervous. "The last time we checked, the boy was asleep. What if he heard you now, yelling this way? It's not fair to him, Master..."

"I know," the beast replied, much softer now. " But what does it matter now? He saw the picture. He's probably already assumed that something's amiss..."

Roxas lay very still, fearing that even the slightest twitch would give him away. Every breath became louder in his hyper sensitive ears, and even with Axel and his servants still behind the heavy, wooden doors, the blond thought that they must have suspected him of being awake by now.

His head buzzing with confusion about all of this. He was still trying to grasp everything that he'd just heard when he heard the handle move and the door creak open. He quickly shut his eyes tight and relaxed as best he could, wondering if he should just give himself away. But would Axel answer his questions now?

He mentioned the locket; the one with the picture of the blond boy inside. Was that what this was all about? This boy, this Ven person or whatever his name was...Axel loved him?

_Of course!_ _It all makes sense now! The reason why everyone here is like this! The reason why Axel let me stay here in the first place! It must be!_

But did this revelation relieve more, or hurt more? Roxas was still trying to take it all in...

_He let me take father's place...because I look like the boy he loved..._

Heavy feet trudged across the carpet, followed by several little light taps before the blond felt a large shadow fall over him. Through the tiny cracks in his eyelids, Roxas saw the beast kneel close beside him, his shadow now stretching over the nearby wall, large and gnarled and inhuman.

"See, Axel?" he heard Demyx say softly, feeling warm as the lit candelabra hopped closer to him. "He fell asleep waiting for you. You can trust him. You should tell him how you feel. He won't abandon you."

A large paw suddenly touched his face, and Roxas fought hard not to let his breath hitch nervously at the contact. As the pads began to trail over his hair and down his cheek, he was sure Axel would know he was awake now. The contact was soothing, pleasant, but he couldn't let himself be distracted by that.

"I guess you're right, Demyx," the redhead said simply, and through the dark cracks, Roxas saw emerald eyes looking down at him warmly, a small smile contorting his beastly face. "Though, he did try to run away once before..."

"Yes, Master, but that was only because you frightened him!" Luxord hissed again, pointing as a few servants entered the room and directing them to pull the curtains and tidy up. Several began picking up the scattered books and returning them to their proper shelves, instructed by a small blue book who was familiar with the layout.

"Since then, you have shown him compassion and understanding. Surely now he has seen you for what you really are, and accepted you, so you can let Ven go and move on with your life."

Axel shot him a threatening glare, but Demyx hopped up and down excitedly, beaming.

"Then you two can fall in love and break the spell, and all of us will be human again!"

The young blond gasped softly, unable to contain it. Thankfully, though, it was little more than a quiet breath, and Axel had turned his attention elsewhere, groaning irritably.

"Be quiet, will you? He's right here, Demyx! What was that about worrying that he might have heard us?" He looked between the two servants incredulously.

"So? It's about time you told him flat out about our curse and gave him some answers! That's what I think!" Demyx stared back at him defiantly, refusing to back down, until Axel finally conceded, pouting at the floor silently. A wide grin then spread across the servant's face.

"Besides, the two of you would make a wonderful couple! I know, I'm a good judge of character!"

Axel sighed heavily, and Luxord shook his head dismissively, returning to direct the servants as they cleaned around the room.

"What we _should _be careful of is making Larxene wait too long! She'll burn us alive if we let her 'masterpieces' go cold..." Demyx made air quotes with his candles, but shuddered all the same. He hopped back over to the door, now muttering quietly to himself in growing dread. "She'll melt me for real this time!"

A shake of shaggy red fur. "Alright, fine! I'll tell him soon! But I still think it's too early for us to-"

"Well, you'd better hurry up, Axel!" Demyx sang from the doorway, ducking out and down the hall quickly. Ah, Demyx and his wonderful mood-swings. "Time's a-wasting! None of us are getting any younger, you know!"

Now Roxas's head was reeling, practically dizzy from the onslaught of information all at once. So now, he supposed, the nature of the castle's curse entailed that Axel had to learn to love, or love again, in order to be free of his beastly form and the servants of their object forms.

_Okay...I suppose I can deal with that...but..._

The boy almost jumped when he felt the paw on his face patting lightly. "Roxas?" came the gruff whisper from above him, as he saw green eyes coming closer.

"Roxas...It's time to get up..."

Moving slowly, the blond uncurled and sat up to face him, keeping his eyelids lowered slightly for good measure. He kept his face as blank and unreadable as possible, definitely not wanting to raise suspicion just yet.

"Axel?" he mumbled, rubbing his blue eyes and yawning lazily. "W-What...what time is it?"

The beast smiled, helping him up gently as he spoke. "It's a bit late now...I don't know if you're still hungry, but I thought I'd come and check. Larxene made us some-"

"That sounds fine," said Roxas eagerly, forcing a small smile as he allowed himself to be led from the room. But really, at this moment, the last thing he felt like doing was eating...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dinner was a bit awkward, as per usual, but now for different reasons. Roxas's mind seemed to be somewhere else entirely, and now Axel was all warm smiles and questions. He apologized stiffly about being shut in for the past several days and in turn inquired about how Roxas had spent his time without him. The blond answered pleasantly, respectfully, but the beast was quickly getting a sinking feeling that something was bothering the boy. He didn't eat very much of anything, but assured Axel that he was more tired than hungry at the moment. His eyes seemed downcast and thoughtful, shinning almost wetly in the low candle light...

_Is he sick?_

Axel sat through the silences as best he could, scratching his neck or playing with his fork absently. His etiquette had become much better in the past weeks, mostly because he was motivated by the desire to impress Roxas. Or at least, he didn't want to disgust his friend by tearing into everything with his teeth and claws. But at the moment, the little piece of silverware was annoying him, as it kept slipping out of his loosely clenched paws and falling onto the table with a soft ding; soft, but enough to shatter the thick silence. The blond would look up, curiously, and Axel would simply pick it up again, uttering a small, gruff excuse with the silliest, most embarrassed smile he could manage. The boy would laugh for a moment, and then the two of them would return to the riveting staring contest they were engaging with their plates...

But soon Axel's thoughts began to wander as well. He and Luxord and Demyx had discussed another way to get him into Roxas's good graces, but this plan would have to be a bit hurried, and Axel was nervous about even suggesting it in the first place. As much as he hated to admit it to Demyx, he was right. The enchanted rose was already begin to wilt, and fast; its petals were now gathering at the bottom of the case at an alarming rate. From what Luxord had judged, it would probably be right after Christmas that the rose would wilt completely, and then all chance of becoming human would be gone for all of them. But asking Roxas then? It still seemed much to soon for that!

The boy's strange behavior was making Axel even more nervous to ask him. He cared for Roxas deeply, yes; but did he love him? His thoughts were still so focused on the tragedy all those years ago...was it possible for him to just forget, and love Roxas only? To love him, and not the face of the past he represented?

And, if not just as important as that, could Roxas love him back? Sooner or later, he would have to tell him everything...

A throat suddenly cleared next to him, and the beast looked down to see Demyx giving him the look again. He sighed.

_I know I have to do it. _He looked up to see beautiful blue eyes still lowered, completely unaware of his turmoil. _I should be bolder! Ugh...Why is this so hard?_

_Another nudge, another cleared throat, and Axel cleared his own, catching the young blond's attention._

"Roxas..." he began, trying to look determined but not harsh or coercing. "I've been thinking...It's almost Christmas, and we haven't done a single thing to celebrate..."

The boy blinked back at him, surprised by this shift in the conversation.

"Well, I was thinking of maybe finding a tree to decorate...But you seemed like you needed time to think about things, so I didn't want to bother you..."

Now it was Axel's turn to blink. Roxas looked down shyly (the shyest Axel had seen him behave in quite some time) and nodded, taking a sip of warm cider from his glass. The beast chuckled a little, brushing off his dark mood from earlier as best he could.

"i'm sorry, Roxas. Like I said, I didn't mean to ignore you for so long. You can feel free to come to me when you need something from now on. I'm not going to let my sour mood spoil this holiday season!"

Roxas looked up and gave him a small smile, and the redhead rejoiced that he sounded as confident as he'd intended to. So far, things were looking alright...

"So what did you have in mind?"


	14. 14

And now for something completely different. Let's see what the servants are up to! CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT, TAKE ONE!

* * *

"Do you really think all of this is necess-" Before he could finish, Axel was shoved back into the tub, being scrubbed within an inch of his life. Demyx stood on the side, carefully avoiding the water as it sloshed in and out at random.

"Of course! We have to make sure you look perfect for tonight! Ohh, Roxas is gonna be so surprised when he sees this!"

"Yes..." said Luxord dryly from the doorway, not about to get his gears anywhere near the chaos. He, like Axel, still looked rather unconvinced. "Surprised..."

"Oh, go take your pessimism somewhere else, you old grouch!" the candelabra snapped back, passing a pair of scissors to Axel's attendant, who looked rather like a large coat hanger. He hopped away just in time, yelping a bit, as a large gush of water almost hit him a moment later. Thankfully, it only managed to douse one of his candles...

"I think everything will be fine! All you have to do is stride down there, flash him that winning, debonair smile, and vuala! Roxas will fall right into your arms!" The hyperactive object swooned dramatically, laughing to himself. "It's as simple as that, my friend!"

"I think not," the old clock huffed dryly, moving to stand beside his delirious comrade. "There's more to love than cheesy cliches, you babbling twit!"

"But Luuuuxxxx..." whined Demyx. "Why do you always have to be so negative about everything? Honestly, it could work!"

"I'm not saying it couldn't, Demyx, but I'm trying to be more realistic here! If we-"

"If you guys aren't going to help, then can you go help with the decorations?" grumbled an unhappy, dripping wet mound of fur leaning out of the bathtub. He then grabbed his head and began pulling at the loose fur irritably, whining. "I don't know how much more of this I can take!"

Demyx smiled reassuringly, motioning for Luxord to go ahead on without him before turning back to his master.

"You can take it easy, Axel. You're looking much better already!"

"No, it's not that!" he growled, climbing clumsily out onto the shining floor and resting there for a moment, panting slightly.

"If tonight doesn't go off without a hitch, then we're doomed! What if Roxas says no? Or what if I fall and make an idiot out of myself? What if-"

He yelped as the little candelabra placed a flame against his side, hopping to his feet and examining the small burn closely. There wasn't a lot of damage there, but it had still hurt, so he glared down at his servant angrily, ready to tell him off.

"Really now, Axel. You're being a big baby about all of this..." He hopped to the side a bit as two more coat hanger servants glided past, pushing Axel out the door and onto a chair in front of his old bureau. "You've got to think of the positives and hope for the best. It's not like we'll really hate you if we're stuck this way forever." He then gave the beast a small, kind smile. "Well, Larxene might. I can't guarantee your safety there, but you get what I'm saying!"

The redhead shook slightly, looking ahead into the old cracked mirror at his dusty reflection.

"I don't really care if I stay this way forever...It's no less than I deserve..."

"No! Stop thinking like that!" The candelabra said firmly, seeing Axel's hopeless look even in the cracked glass. "It won't help, and besides, Roxas doesn't want a man who wallows in his own misery!"

"How do I even know he wants a _man _at all?" Axel shot back, turning to look as his wardrobe hopped closer and opened, revealing several potential evening outfits for him. "I've never asked what his preference is! It's not like there's ever the perfect moment to ask that question!" he growled, a light blush barely coloring his furry cheeks.

"What if he's not looking to fall in love at all? And why would he want me anyway? A horrible, ugly beast! What could I possibly offer him?"

Demyx winced a little at that, but didn't relent. No matter how Axel had changed over the past several months, the prince still had his numerous insecurities about his appearance. It made him sad, but at the same time his friend was more human now than he had been in a long time. At least he was thinking of others...

"With that attitude, of course you're going to fail! You may look like a beast, but you need to show Roxas more of the man inside. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The redhead still seemed to be pouting, but he nodded stiffly, meanwhile choosing the deep blue coat with the gold and emerald buttons. Demyx smiled a little as he watched his friend dressing slowly, awkwardly.

_He picked the one the shade of Roxas's eyes..._

"You care for him, don't you?"

Axel shot him an incredulous look, buttoning up his coat slowly and awkwardly as his paws fumbled over the holes.

"I...I do. I haven't felt this much for someone since...well, you know..."

"And thats what matters!" Demyx chirped back. "Just trust your heart, be yourself...you know, all that sentimental stuff..."

The beast barked an earnest laugh, and Demyx's smile widened even more. There was nothing to worry about! Axel would do fine, and Roxas would love him. He had to!

But, for the mean time, there were things that needed to be done. With a short farewell, he left Axel to his fate, squirming and fidgeting as the other servants tended to his mane. He hopped off to see how the tree was coming along, and also to go find his own special someone...

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On the other side of the castle, however, things were going just about as smoothly.

"Roxaaaassss!" the mahogany wardrobe whined, half irritated by now by the boy's constant hiding. "Come out, won't you?"

"No! I'm not ready yet!" he yelled back through the bathroom door. Once again, he was trying and failing to refuse the servants' help. Marluxia groaned internally.

_Wonderful. Now we have two stubborn brats to work with!_

"That's why you need to come out now, sweety," he cooed back, forcing himself to keep from busting the door down himself and dragging the little blond out in his drawers. "If you insist on keeping your hair that way, then at least let Xion trim a little off the top!"

"But I like my hair!"

Marluxia sighed heavily, moving awkwardly over to the door and ushering at least half of the smaller servants gathered there out with him.

"Do you need a moment, kid?" Something _did _seem to be troubling the boy lately. It didn't take a genius to see him wandering the corridors now and again, eyes down and clearly lost in deep thought. He'd even bumped into something once or twice; his eyes would flash harshly for just a moment, and then it was gone. He cheerfully apologized and went on his not so merry way. At first, Marluxia had asked if he was sick, but Roxas just shook his head and denied it completely. The wardrobe couldn't imagine what else was wrong, but he left it at that, seeing as he never got anywhere with the questions. Maybe all Roxas needed was a little time...

"I can go check on the decorations team for a moment if you'd like, but you have to promise to behave and come out when I get back..."

There was silence on the other end of the door, and it continued for a moment or two before, "...Is that okay?"

The wardrobe smiled kindly, even though Roxas couldn't see it. "Of course, sweety. I'll be right back...So don't you go running away now!"

"A-Alright," was the last he heard as he shooed the other servants away and left the room.

The rest of the castle was glowing with beautiful candles, the walls littered with holly, pine, and, of course, mistletoe. The normally dark and grotesque statues were covered and polished, tied with bright ribbons and decorations. And, at the bottom of the grand staircase was a large, magnificent tree, decorated with ornaments of all shapes and sizes and colors hanging from its strong, pine-needled branches.

Marluxia had to sigh in appreciation at the sight. It was amazing how much they had forgotten in storage for all these years! Now all of it was polished and gleaming. It was breath-takingly romantic...

"Marly! My man!"

The wardrobe smiled wickedly and turned to face an elegant old hunting rifle, who beamed back just as wickedly.

"Hey," he replied, chuckling slightly at the big red bow tied right along the cheek rest. "I hope you aren't planning to get loaded tonight..."

"Har har har. We're so funny today..." snarked Xigbar wryly. "I couldn't find any new powder while we were scourging the storage. But I gotta hand it to em," he said, indicating a few feather dusters still polishing the tables nearby, "They sure know how to spiff this place up!"

"Indeed...And I see we're in the festive spirit already..."

"Oh, you bet!" chimed Xigbar, "Tonight's the night we're gonna be human again! Just hope Ax and the kid won't go at it too hard now-"

"Xigbar!" gasped another voice, and they looked up to see Demyx and a large lavender book hopping over to meet them. The candelabra looked a bit floored, and the book beside him had tinted slightly pink.

"That's no way to talk about them! It's none of our business what they do when Axel's himself again!"

"Whatever you say, my little _lance-flammes_. We all know what _you're _going to do, once you and little Zexion over there are human..."

Demyx scoffed and turned away, blushing madly. Zexion did just about the same thing, but he promptly turned on his spine and hopped off, leaving a dejected Demyx and a barking Xigbar. Marluxia just shook his head and sighed.

_This family..._

"So, Mar, how's the kiddo doing? Huh? Is he all ready for the big night?" Marluxia was sure, if that old rifle had eyebrows, he'd be wiggling them suggestively between snickers. Demyx perked up a little at this turn in the conversation. It seemed he wasn't the only one who noticed the boy behaving a little off recently...

"He's sulking and trying to avoid me! The ingrate!" He pretended to sob dramatically. "And after I found this lovely little outfit for him too!" He opened his drawers to reveal a gleaming, floor-length golden ball gown, brandishing it proudly.

The room was silent for a moment. Even the other servants had stopped working to see Marluxia's handiwork. But he clearly didn't realize the attention was shocked in a negative way...

"Isn't it gorgeous? It matches his hair perfectly! But the brat won't wear it..." He sighed, shutting the drawers again. Xigbar looked somewhere between amazed and disgusted, and he turned to hop away.

"Uh, yeah..._ravishing..._Maybe ya might want to go with something a little more masculine?"

"Really?" the wardrobe said, looking thoughtful now that all joking was aside. "Why on earth would I do that?"

"Think long and hard about it..." he said, turning a corner and hurrying away. "Hey, _lance-flammes_! You might want to go with him this time and make sure the kid gets something...manlier..."

Demyx whispered something too softly to be heard, but he did follow Marluxia back to the east wing, the both of them secretly hoping that however cranky and finicky Roxas was, he'd at least be willing to try on a nicer pair of pants.

And from the crash in the kitchen, they either knew that Luxord was finally back to being his old self, or Larxene was in hell mode and they were all doomed...


	15. 15

Roxas swallowed nervously as he followed Demyx down the hall to the grand staircase. For a party, he really wasn't sure he was going to have any fun at all. First of all: he was terrible at dancing! Even when he was dancing just for fun, he looked like a complete fool! He couldn't imagine trying to dance with someone else; not when he had two left feet, and Axel was the size of a mountain.

Second: He was a well-known introvert. He liked books, quiet nights by the fire, gazing at the stars or the countryside. That was pretty much it. It wasn't that he couldn't make friends or enjoy a little time out every once in a while, but he preferred the solitude of the library and the thrill of a good book most of all. That was probably why he liked talking to Zexion sometimes while he was there. He was quiet and pleasant and looking for a nice read just like Roxas was, so when Axel had first started to disappear to his little cave in the west wing, the blond came across the solitary servant and the two became fast friends. Needless to say, Demyx was overjoyed at that, but he was the opposite of Zexion. No matter what he tried, Roxas could not get the candelabra to stop talking...

Once they reached the stairs, Roxas was pulled from his thoughts; forced to look up and take in all the beauty. Everything was decorated in Christmas greens, reds, and whites, with just a dash of blues here and there. The tree itself was the most impressive, though, and, forgetting all decorum and subtly, the boy raced down the stairs, ignoring Demyx's calls as he approached the large tree.

It was tall and full; a perfect lush tree. The blond reached out and grasped one of the empty branches lightly, smiling at the slight prickle. When he raised his head a little, he could see many of the ornaments on it in great detail. Here, there was a hand-carved little sled painted red on the bottom; there, a little golden bell that jingled softly when he tugged on it. But his favorite of all was a tiny stained-glass version of the castle, with tall towers and glistening little windows. It had everything but the gothic decor, those creepy statues and vines growing on the outside, so it was all the more beautiful to Roxas. He held it in his hand gently, watching it sparkle as it caught the light off of nearby candles.

"This is amazing, guys! You really outdid yourselves!"

A cough startled him, causing him to release the little ornament and turn around quickly, almost dropping it. There, at the top of the stairs on the west wing side, was Axel.

He looked very regal tonight, with his mane trimmed shorter, but still a bit wild and thick. His coat was blue, just like Roxas's, and it looked just as fine as the soft fabric that hugged his body now. Axel's bright green eyes were trained on him, even from the top of the stairs, and the blond had to look down slightly, blushing as he felt the beast's stare on him, almost penetrating him...

Axel descended the stairs much slower, and surprisingly more graceful, than he had previously, and the redhead stood proudly before him now, smiling that awkward, but still sweet toothy smile of his.

"Roxas..." he whispered, sweeping a fluid bow before the boy.

Roxas bowed low in response, pushing all negative thoughts away for the time being. There would be plenty of time later, and all this hard work that the servants went through to give them a nice party really shouldn't go to waste...

With a shy but relatively bright smile, he accepted the beast's paw. "Shall we go in?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The ballroom was clean and lit by the bright chandelier glistening overhead, but otherwise, the room had been left mostly undecorated. Roxas and Axel sat at a long wood table on the side of the room; one that had been set with elegant silverware and several red and green candles sparsely separated across the surface. The servants waited off by the side, some playing musical instruments to a soft, comforting holiday melody as the others scurried back and forth with the courses.

Staring over the candles and centerpiece, Axel admired his guest's soft smile as he carved a slice of the bird big enough for himself. Roxas looked much happier now than he had before, a lot less reserved and nervous. The beast was still wondering what could have caused that, but didn't want to spoil the evening with awkward questions. This was the nicest Christmas that anyone in the castle had seen in a long time. He almost couldn't remember a time when they'd actually bothered to celebrate it. For him, there were too many unpleasant memories to really consider it his favorite holiday, and that was a shame...

As he watched the servants making rounds, he saw that several of the children seemed to be enjoying themselves a bit. Uninterested in their parents' work, they played out on the balcony and admired the decorations, scuttling back and forth giddily. A few of them even came over to play by the table, and Axel smiled as he watched Roxas pick up one of the little teacups and pat him on the rim. Axel had never been too good with kids, but Roxas seemed to get along with them well, and it was absolutely adorable.

_Maybe because he just a big kid himself..._ he thought, grinning absently.

The blond was smiling and laughing as he watched them play, and Axel finally began to feel more comfortable with the situation. Everything was going well so far, and Roxas was having a good time. Maybe Demyx was right.

So Axel sat back and relaxed, smiling when Xigbar, Demyx, and Marluxia passed by, each winking excitedly.

Then, after dinner, Axel asked the boy across from him to dance. Only then did he see the nervousness return, as Roxas looked up and smiled sheepishly.

"I'm terrible. Really. You don't need to-"

"Of course I don't need to," he assured, taking the boy's hand. "Why don't you just give it a try? It can just be practice, you know? To improve your dancing skills..."

Roxas quirked an eyebrow, but when he looked at the beast, Axel could tell he saw the sincerity and hope in his gaze. After a moment, the boy sighed and smiled helplessly, standing up and pushing his chair in before the servant behind him even moved.

"Alright, Axel. I'll give it a try. Just don't laugh at me, okay?"

The beast chuckled back softly, more nervously, leading him out to the middle of the floor as the music became a little louder.

"We'll be fine...so long as neither of us trips over these paws."

But despite his assurance, once they reached the dance floor, it was clear that Axel was the more anxious of the two. He looked down at his own large paws, both the ones on the floor and the one that now held Roxas small, pale hand in his. He gulped.

_Maybe this was a bad idea...What if I crush his toes? He's so much smaller than me... _He was sure that would happen. He had to crane his neck down to see the boy pressed against him, as he towered over him almost menacingly. Wondering to himself, Axel was sure there was never a stranger-looking couple dancing in all the world.

Roxas still seemed a little shy, but after a moment of stillness and the music began, forming a steady tempo, he craned to look up at Axel.

"Maybe if we tried starting?"

Axel nodded quickly, blushing a bit as the blond giggled softly below him. It was good that Roxas probably couldn't see it. that would have been embarrassing!

He looked off to the side where the food was being cleared away and he saw a steady gathering of friends and onlookers, all of them cheering him on and motioning him to start. So finally, reluctantly, he place his other paw on the small of Roxas's back and took a little (or as little as he could manage with his strides) step.

_Why did I suggest this?_

Their movements were slow and stilted at first. Axel was having trouble remembering which way to step, not having danced in years. It had to be showing badly...

Roxas seemed to accept the role of the woman very well for his first time, but it was clear that he wasn't sure which way to go either. The beast was too large and strong for him to direct, even if he had tried his best. Axel was content to just step occasionally and pull Roxas with him, but after a song or two, they finally fell into natural rhythm together. Roxas began to predict where Axel was going without staring directly at their feet, and so he looked up more now, smiling reassuringly. Axel tried to gaze back casually, wanting to meet those lovely blue eyes, but he was sure the younger boy could see his blatant nervousness. He soon learned to just go with it, though, spinning the two of them almost elegantly across the floor.

"I think the two of us are doing fine...though, admittedly, I'm no judge of dancing."

Axel smiled wider then, confidently twirling the young man before him. "I think you're a wonderful dancer. A little rough around the edges, but.."

"Says the tall, bulky one with the big feet!"

The redhead looked down and saw Roxas smirking playfully. He knew at once not to take it seriously, and retaliated with a small shove to his side.

"Hey!" the boy cried, smacking his arm lightly. "Are you trying to trip me now?"

Axel merely shrugged and smiled. "I'm just the tall, bulky one. Perhaps you should grow a little taller, and make your feet a little bigger. Maybe if I step on them, you'll dance better."

"Don't you dare!"

Axel barked a laugh and pulled the playfully pouting boy closer, enjoying the feeling of holding him like that, even as they continued to dance. They still must have looked like a laughable sight to the rest of the world, but he didn't care. All the beast knew was that he hadn't had this much fun with dancing in his entire life.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The songs came and went. Roxas didn't know how many had gone by. At this point, the two of them had stopped, just standing there on the floor as the lights overhead began to dim down. Somehow he had ended up with his face pressed to Axel's chest, and he vaguely wondered how he'd gotten there. Perhaps he should have worried, or pulled away, but at the moment he was consumed by the sight, the smell, and the _feel _of Axel.

Warm red fur had peaked through the opening above his jacket, and Roxas found himself nuzzling it slightly, smiling as he wrapped his arms around the beast's waist loosely. It was nice, and very soft; the fabric, the fur, everything felt nice up against him. Two large arms wrapped around him as well, pulling him further in to the embrace that neither of them could seem to break.

_He's so warm and kind... _The blond thought, closing his eyes for a moment before looking up to meet bright, adoring green eyes. He began to feel the familiar sense of deja vu, as a paw on his back began to move in slow circles, making his eyes droop a little as he relaxed into the comforting gesture. Roxas blushed lightly.

_Maybe I could..._

There was definitely a man in there beneath all that fur and claws and teeth. It was true that Axel had been cursed, and the others as well, and maybe, just maybe, Roxas could help them. He felt a genuine care and sympathy in his heart for Axel, and Demyx and Zexion and yes, even Luxord...

But if he were to help them...

So, with noticeable reluctance, Roxas pulled free of Axel's arms.

"Roxas? Is something wrong?"

All of the sudden, the boy just wanted to lean back into Axel and forget about his worries. A part of him was happy with his life the way it was; it wasn't perfect, but there was something warm and wonderful about it now that he had a true friend. That part argued that he could spend the rest of his days in the castle and be perfectly happy and cared for.

But another part conflicted with that; the part of him that needed answers and truth. And maybe, if he hadn't heard the ugly truth with his own ears, he would have been fine to live and even, perhaps, to fall in love. He couldn't deny the warm feelings he felt for Axel, nor the affectionate gestures they exchanged so naturally now. It could be love...

But he remembered everything he'd heard before, and suddenly it felt like he was living a lie. He was taking the place of someone else. Roxas swallowed nervously before slipping his hand back into Axel's, offering a small, soft smile.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The beast looked hesitant, glancing back to see his friend's encouragement. Roxas sighed, figuring what they were thinking instantly, and sudden;y he felt even more reluctant to talk about this. But this didn't feel right to him, not in the way he wished it would...

"Come on," he said firmly, tugging Axel to the glass doors that lead out onto the balcony. Axel paused a moment, then nodded and followed him quickly, opening the door for the young blond and stepping out onto the cool, white marble.

The forest spread out before them, still white and gleaming with freshly fallen snow. It was fairly beautiful, although Roxas couldn't suppress a small shudder at the memories those woods evoked. He knew beneath the snow and treetops, it was dark and deathly cold out there. There were starving wolves and gnarled trees.

Everything about this place always had two faces...

Now it was time to see if Axel had two as well. Roxas took a seat on the ledge of the balcony, as the red beast came and sat down beside him. The two were silent for a moment, looking out at the forest and moon and stars, before Roxas finally sighed and spoke.

"Axel, I-"

"Roxas." They stared at each other for a moment before Roxas put a finger to his lips, his eyes begging for a chance to say his peace.

"Axel, don't. I just wanted to say that I know about your curse..."

Green eyes grew a little wider, more fearful. "What?"

"I overheard you talking that day in the library. I know that you aren't really a beast, and that you were in love once..." The boy lowered his head slightly, not willing to meet the guilty gaze. He could still feel it on him though...

"Roxas, that-"

"No," he said firmly, pressing his finger still to Axel's lips. The beast looked ready to protest, but Roxas didn't give him time. "I get it, Axel. I think I've understood it for a long time, probably first after I saw that picture in your locket. I didn't want to cause you pain, but I can't live in the dark anymore." When the beast didn't speak, he said, " I look like that boy you loved. That's why I'm here, isn't it?"

Still nothing. Axel's face now looked worn and sad, and he pulled his paw away from Roxas's hand, looking at it sadly. Roxas missed the warmth that was there, but nodded wordlessly, feeling tears beginning to prick in his eyes.

"You need love to break the spell. That's why you chose me, because I'm a replica..."

"No, Roxas..." A large paw fell heavy on his shoulder, but he did not look back up right away. "You need to understand..."

"And what don't I understand, Axel?" asked Roxas bitterly. "You never told me any of this! You didn't even tell me why you were cursed in the first place! Didn't you trust me at all?"

Axel shook him slightly in reply. "It couldn't be helped, Roxas!...Listen, the reason I was cursed was because I was selfish and angry. I wanted everything my own way and didn't care how I got it. I was like a stranger to my own heart, and it hurt the people I cared about most." His tone became more bitter, more heartbroken.

"Then Ven abandoned me to my loneliness. He left me, 'out of love,' he said, but that was a joke! He was too afraid to tell me his feelings outright..." The beast bowed his head and began to sob softly, covering his face with his paws. "I was a monster then, and I'm a monster now."

The blond watched him for a moment, a new pity swelling in his heart for this man; this creature sobbing wretchedly before him. He was a lonely soul, desperate for comfort...desperate for love...

"Then I met you, after all these years of being under this curse. You're so much like him, but not... I can't really explain it. At first I didn't care, so long as I had a chance to redeem myself. I thought that's what I was doing, but...you're not him, Roxas...You could never be him..."

Roxas looked up sadly as Axel placed a paw on his face, trying awkwardly to brush the tears away.

"I don't see you as him, Roxas! You are you..."

"Axel, please. Stop it." The young blond pulled out of his grip and stood up, about ready to run. Axel was looking at him, his eyes so hopeless and begging that it was practically tearing him apart.

"I love you, Roxas..."

"Stop it, Axel. You don't really mean that-"

"No!" he cried, grabbing onto Roxas's arm and refusing to let go. "It's true, Roxas! I love you for you!"

The boy looked away and shrugged out of the grip, shaking his head.

"Axel... I know that you're a good person... But you've been this way so long. That's why no matter what you say, I just can't. I'm sorry." The beast's grip immediately began to loosen, and Roxas took a shaky breath before continuing.

"I can't replace what you've lost. You say you love me, but how can I ever trust that? How can I know that when you look into my eyes, you see mine and not Ven's? You'll always be my friend...but I don't want to be used like that..."

Axel didn't have an immediate answer. After a minute, he muttered in a broken whisper, "Then...Then you don't believe me?"

Roxas stood firm and still, but did not answer. He felt terrible, as honest as he was being.

"Does that mean...you feel nothing? N-Nothing for me at all?"

The tears poured slowly down his cheeks as he met those sad green eyes again. "I like you, Axel. Really, I do. You've been the best friend I think I've ever, and the only friend I'v made since I moved, but..." He _couldn't_ love him. He was afraid to give his heart to one who already belonged to another, and Axel had made it quite clear that he could not forget Ven. Roxas knew he had no right to demand that; but even _if _he was completely sure of his own feelings, he didn't want to spend every day worrying that the man he loved couldn't give all of his heart to him.

"But you don't love me..."

Roxas shook his head sadly, breaking more inside.

"I just don't think I can. I'm sorry..."

The clock from the inner hall struck loudly, ringing through the whole castle. It was an hour until midnight. The bell tolled several times before it fell silent again, leaving the air stiff and sad once more. Axel stood without a word and began to walk back to the shining doors, leaving Roxas alone on the grand balcony. A few of the servant children who had been playing nearby hopped closer, watching sadly as the two remained silent. Axel reached the doors and gripped the handle hard, but did not move.

"I think you should go..."

Roxas blinked, wiping away at some of the tears with the sleeve of his jacket. "W-What do you mean? Go where?"

"Home," the beast said simply, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "Back to your father and your village. Forget what you've seen here."

The blond took a small, uneasy step forward, before he came boldly to Axel's side again, frowning. "I can't forget this, Axel. I can't forget about you and Demyx and everyone. Besides, I made a promise!"

"You can't help us." Axel sneered back, more harshly now. "There's no more reason for you to stay here in this place, so I'm releasing you."

"But Axel, you're my friend!" The boy stepped forward again and grabbed Axel's sleeve, refusing to let go. "Just because I can't love you, it doesn't mean I-"

"Just go!" the beast snarled, shoving the boy away and opening the doors to the now darkened ballroom. He turned to glare at the startled boy harshly, and at once Roxas was reminded of that night when Axel had snarled at him so cruelly. He looked truly inhuman then, the bitter anger eating away at the battered remains of his heart...

"You don't belong here, little boy," he growled, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Don't try to tempt me with false promises! If you can find no love for me, then I needn't waste any more of my time! Go, and spare your foolish pity! It is not needed here!" With that, he ignored all cries and went away, leaving Roxas frozen and miserable in the ballroom...

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Oh, drama here! Hope you guys are still liking it so far. Reviews help a lot, and thanks for all the support. Only a few more chapters, but probably not too many more until this god-awful week is over. Off to celebrate my friend's birthday now! Ta ta for now! :)


	16. 16

Several hours later...

I'M BACK! Gosh, what's with the writing spree in the last 24 hours, huh? Well, thanks again for reading and supporting me. I hope this makes up for people waiting so long for a new chapter

Apologies for Roxas's hormonal teenage girl angst, but really, look at the org XIII characters in cannon and tell me they couldn't be like that in AU. :)

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Roxas moved about slowly in his room, making sure that everything of his was packed and ready to travel. He hadn't waited long; as soon as he had found the energy, he walked out of that ballroom, past the gathering of confused and worried servants, and went straight back up to his room in the east wing. His heart and head were hurting badly, and again his reckless nature encouraged him to flee. So here he was now, blanking out all thought but what he needed to recover, and set about cleaning up the bedroom.

By the time he was finished, it was almost as if he'd never been there.

He was checking under the bed one last time when the door opened quietly. The blond turned to see Marluxia entering the room, and promptly returned to his search, his eyes blank and teary.

"Are you leaving, Roxas?"

The voice wasn't happy or cooing as it had been earlier that evening; now it was relatively flat and serious. Roxas wasn't surprised though. He expected that the whole castle would have head what happened by now, and they probably all hated him openly for it.

"Axel set me free. I'm going back home now, where I belong." He spat the last part out a bit bitterly, but continued to distract himself, looking anywhere but the mahogany wardrobe who had settled in the corner. He was probably being too hard on the servant, but at the moment he didn't care. He just wanted to leave.

Marluxia watched him casually, sighing as he disappeared into the bathroom momentarily.

"You're not thinking clearly again, Roxas. You never let things have time to settle in; you just rush off on a whim and end up hurting yourself and everyone else."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?" he growled, reemerging with the blue suit draped over one arm. "He let me go. Why should I stay with him when he clearly wants me to leave?"

"Axel's temper is as stubborn as yours, boy. He needs to let things sink in for a while before acting too." Marluxia sounded faintly irritable, but held the stare as Roxas came to stand in front of him, his blank face slowly contorting with anger again.

"Don't think this is all about you. You're being more selfish than you know, Roxas."

"_I'm_ the selfish one?" He barked a harsh laugh. "Oh, that's great! From the moment I came here, all of you used me! You took everything I had, everything I cared about, and why? Because you're tired of being punished for being the horrible, self-centered people that you are!"

"Watch it, boy," warned the wardrobe as he glared coldly. "I may not have arms, but I can still smack your little ass right into next week."

The two glared for a moment, saying nothing, before Roxas huffed and walked back to the bed, slinging the pack over his shoulder quickly. He marched back to the door and was about to leave right then, but stopped. He didn't move from there, didn't try to take a step out the door; just hunched his shoulders and stood still for a moment, taking in the quiet little room.

Axel had taken so much from him, but he had given him so much too. That library was something he cherished more than any gift he had ever received. It was so thoughtfully given, and Axel had tried so hard to make him not feel alone on his birthday. He had tried to repair some of the hurt he'd caused, and at the time it had seemed enough to Roxas. Axel had become his friend...

_I thought I understood him, anyway... _he corrected himself sadly. _I had to find everything out on my own. He never trusted me enough to tell me..._

Marluxia was silent also, sighing inwardly as he watched Roxas struggle with himself. Softening, he carefully moved to Roxas's side.

"Roxas..."

The blond looked over at him, no longer as angry or bitter as before. He looked lost, scared; like a child trying to come to terms with his fear of the dark. His eyes were shimmering a bit, even in the low light, and Roxas reached up to wipe the tears away, sniffling softly.

"Sorry..."

Marluxia softened even more, opening his drawers as the boy passed him the clothes he had worn that night. Once they were folded up and put away, he pushed up a small chair and beckoned Roxas to sit, letting him compose himself. The wardrobe waited a few minutes, and when Roxas finally seemed calm, he spoke again.

"Let me ask you this, Roxas. Do you really think that when you ran away, Axel would have come and saved you just because you looked like Ventus?"

The boy raised his head and looked thoughtful for a moment, but then shook it sadly.

"I don't know. I can't be sure that anything he did for me wasn't simply because I look like Ven."

Another sigh. "Do you really have so little faith in him?"

Roxas bowed his head promptly, sniffling again. It made him feel very guilty, not trusting Axel after all that he'd done, but he wasn't going to lie; it didn't look good to him. Apparently, neither of them could trust each other enough. Some friendship...

Marluxia shook his head. "He cares about you deeply; that much I can tell. In all the years I've spent gathering dust in this old place, I've rarely seen him so happy and carefree as he was with you. You didn't just give him hope, Roxas. You gave him a friend, someone free and independent that cared about him but wasn't afraid to defy him or call him out on his bullshit." He smiled humorously, giving the blond a small wink. "Axel may have his insecurities, but I can see it; he's not just using you to break the spell. It wouldn't really work that way anyway."

Before the boy could open his mouth to speak again, Demyx hopped in, looking wildly at the two of them.

"Is it really true, Roxas? Did you really reject him? HOW COULD YOU?"

The blond sighed heavily, reaching out to lift the little candelabra on to the chair beside him.

"I told him how I felt, Dem, and then he blew up on me. I tried to explain, but he wouldn't hear me out."

Big puppy-dog eyes stared up at him, making him groan internally. "But you don't love him?"

"Ugh! I don't know, okay? It's too soon to be asking me this!" The boy tugged at his hair in frustration, wishing he had taken more time to think everything through. "I just don't know!"

"But you've gotta break the spell tonight, or else we could be stuck this way forever!"

"Demyx!" The candelabra looked down guiltily as Marluxia bore down over him, shutting his mouth firmly. Roxas just banged his head into his knees and groaned. What was he supposed to believe?

_This drama's gonna kill me..._

Just then, the sound of tapping filled the room again, and all three of them looked up to see Luxord hopping into the room, a large, oddly-shapped mirror resting in his arms. He stopped before Roxas and looked up at him solemnly, holding out the mirror to him openly.

Roxas took it and examined it curiously. Turning back to Luxord, he asked, "Um...Thank you. But what's this for?"

The little clock sighed heavily, defeat blanketing his features.

"The master wants you to have it. He says that if you can't forget us, you should always have a way to look back..."

Roxas looked at him skeptically, but Luxord dismissed it with the wave of a hand. "The mirror has magical properties. It's one of the master's most prized possessions. It will let you see anything you wish to see, apart from things in separate times."

Roxas's blue eyes widened a bit. "R-Really? It's that special?" He looked back down at it, tracing his finger along the edge of the frame. Other than the design of it, it looked just like an ordinary mirror. But then again, he'd heard much stranger things since he came here. "But if it means so much to him, then why does he-"

"A gift, young master," the clock said simply, looking sadder still. "He would not come himself, but he bade me to give this to you in thanks for the times you shared together. He hopes that, when you look back and think of him, that no matter what you see, you'll remember the good times."

Roxas was speechless for a moment, feeling more sorrow and guilt cluttering in his heart. Was leaving really the right thing to do? Was he really so heartless that he could doom everyone here to an eternity of sadness and loneliness?

_Axel...He really does care about me?_

Tracing a finger over the smooth surface of the mirror, Roxas regarded it blankly as he thought. Would he go home now...or was the castle his home? What about Demyx and his friends? But then, what about his father?

_Father..._

Then Roxas snapped awake. He looked at the mirror with new-found awe, realizing he could have his answer right then and there. _Of course! I can ask the mirror how Father is doing, and then I'll think of something! Why didn't Axel show me this before?_

Forgetting everything and everyone else in the room, the blond held up the mirror before him, seeing his own pale reflection gazing back out from the depths of the looking glass.

"Show me my father...please?"

Suddenly, the surface rippled like water. The mirror began to glow in his hand, and Roxas gasped as the light flashed out at him briefly, revealing a scene somewhere in the deep, snowy forest he knew all too well. He gasped again when the sight became clearer, paling as his eyes found the still form of Vexen.

"Father!" The old blond lay unconscious in the snow, looking sickly pale and haggard and skinny. His cloak whipped about him in the billowing wind, and even in his sleep, the man shivered and coughed harshly. If it weren't for the small movements, Roxas would have thought he was dead.

How long had he been out there like that?

"What is it, Roxas?" The servants gathered around him quickly and looked horrified at the revealed scene. Roxas shook his head in disbelief before he sprang from the chair, racing out the door and down the hall before anyone could stop him.

"Roxas! Roxas, wait!"

"Young master, please! Don't go!"

The boy shook his head vehemently, slipping on his cloak as he ran. His eyes were full of tears again, and as he stopped at the door, he looked back at them all helplessly.

"I have to go!" he said urgently. "My father's sick! He's out there all alone!"

The servants murmured amongst themselves nervously, debating whether or not to let the boy go. Sympathetic or not, they all knew what was at stake; their only hope for salvation was about to walk out the door forever.

"Please, young master! Think about what you're doing!"

"If what the mirror showed was true, then I have to go and find him! Before he dies!" Roxas sobbed back, gripping the door handle anxiously now.

The servants continued to whisper, but Demyx hopped a little ways out of the pack, begging with his eyes.

"Will you come back?"

Roxas was silent then, but only for a moment. He nodded hastily and turned back to the door, yanking it open. The longer he dawdled here, the longer his father was suffering...

"I will...I will, I promise. But I have to go now! I may be too late already!"

The door shut loudly behind him, and Roxas never looked back.

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Roxas rode all night and into Christmas morning, shivering as the cold winds picked up and billowed about him. The wolves had thankfully remained absent, probably associating his scent with Axel's, but the boy was having little luck finding his father in the snow. He stopped here and there to rest the horse and check the magic mirror again, but hope and time were running out fast for the frantic little blond.

"Father, are you there? Please answer me!"

The trees all still looked alike. How did he know he and Proulx weren't going in circles?

"Father, please!"

The sky overhead was dark and grey. Another storm would be coming soon, he was sure.

"Where are you?"

Roxas's voice was going hoarse from the constant calling. He was cold and tired and scared out of his wits. There was nothing but rocks, bushes, and trees for miles and miles...

Tugging the reins back, Roxas slowed to a stop for a moment. He could have sworn he heard something nearby, just faintly over the howl of the wind. Training his ears on every sound, the boy paused and waited, hoping for some sign or sound that would lead him to Vexen.

Then it came. A soft groan came from behind the bushes to his right. With a cry, Roxas leapt from the saddle, rushing past the brush and snow to see his father lying, still unconscious, on the other side.

"Father!" He was at his side instantly, kneeling beside him and feeling for his temperature. It was too cold.

Then another groan was heard, and weak, battered blue eyes fluttered open, taking a moment before registering him.

"Father! Father, it's me! Roxas!" He clutched Vexen tightly, pulling him into a warm embrace as he stifled his sobs. The danger wasn't over yet, but he couldn't brush off the feelings of joy at seeing his father alive again after so long. It'd been far too long.

"Uh...R-Roxas?" came a weak whisper, so soft that Roxas had to strain to hear it. "H-How can it be? Y-You can't be here!"

"But I _am_ here, father! I've come back! Please, don't talk. I'm going to get you home." Throwing the old man's arm around his shoulder, the boy lifted Vexen with some effort and walked him back to Proulx, who whinnied anxiously. The man was sick and probably delirious, but Roxas helped him steadily mount the horse, climbing up quickly behind him and taking off at a gallop. And as he snuggled up to his father tightly, Roxas was determined to reach home.

They were finally going home, together...


	17. 17

Thank you guys for more reviews! :) It makes me feel happy to know my writing haul is appreciated. One more chapter, and then I have to batten down and actually study now...TwT Is it sad that writer's block leaves just when there's something more important that you need to do? Also celebrating the _thirty_ review mark for this story! The most I've gotten so far! Again, thanks to everyone who took, or takes, the +30 seconds it takes to tell me how it is :) Think of me as your personal unpaid psychiatrist. I wanna know how this makes you feel. Even if all you have to say is so-and-so is a dick or yay a love scene made you smile! That helps too...I'll tell you when I figure out how...

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Axel sat alone in a dark corner of the west wing, back hunched in defeat. All around him was chaos; despite the servants' earlier efforts to clean the castle, furniture now lat tipped over and thrown about in the beast's rage. The only thing that remained untouched was the glorious rose on its table by the window, but Axel was debating whether or not to just break the useless thing. Everything seemed much too hopeless now...

Then there came the taps on the hard floor outside, and Demyx and Luxord entered the room. Axel did not look up.

"Is he gone?"

"Yes, Master," Luxord said solemnly, hopping further into the room. "He offered his thanks for your hospitality and left a short time after."

"But he promised he would come back!" Demyx piped up, straining to sound cheerful. "Do not worry, Axel, he just needs a little time to-"

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND, DEMYX?" The room practically rattled as Axel roared, causing both servants to jump. "IT'S FINISHED! HE DOESN'T LOVE ME AND HE NEVER WILL! WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK THIS WAY FOREVER!"

A silent pause. Casting his glare away, the beast sighed heavily, clenching his forehead in his monstrous paw. "If he returns, please just send him away..."

Luxord looked a bit frazzled, but his features morphed into irritation. He hoped right up to the foot of the bed.

"Forgive me, Master, but are you quite certain you love that boy?"

"What does it matter now?" Axel sneered, glaring down at him through narrowed slits of green. "He's gone. That's all there is to it."

The clock met his gaze coldly, surprising him for a moment. No servant had ever been so bold before. Not even Demyx.

"You relinquish all hope so easily, Master. If I wasn't almost certain otherwise, I would suspect that you were indeed merely using the boy to break the spell."

Overcoming his shock, Axel retaliated the only way he knew how.

"You forget your place, Luxord."

"Do I, sir? It is my responsibility, not only to look after you but all the inhabitants of this castle. They are my family, and n you have forsaken them. Not for the first time, but almost certainly the last. Not only that, you have succeeded in driving out the one person you love so dearly. And not out of kindness, but cowardice and shame."

The beast growled, but said nothing. Casting his eyes away, he looked out the window and beyond the balcony. Storm clouds were gathering in the distance; heading this way.

Clenching his fists, the clock turned away. Though Axel was angry, he had no strength to argue. Luxord had seen that look before; the self-pitying, miserable look the prince had had all those years ago. Every time someone came along to help him, show him kindness and compassion, Axel would covet them selfishly or otherwise drive them away. He had done it again, and now there was no more time.

No more second chances for any of them.

Taking Demyx by the arm, the clock gestured for them both to leave. Axel made no move to stop them.

Luxord sighed, his guilt and anger warring inside him.

"I think that was a mistake, Master. You shouldn't have let him go so easily..."

They left the beast to his wallowing, missing the pleading gaze that followed them until the door fell closed again.

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Roxas finally reached his home again, almost shedding tears of joy as the little house came into view through the fog. He thought this place, this old, simple life of his had been lost forever.

He helped his father into bed straightaway, making sure he was warm and comfortable. Wondering how long the animals had been neglected, Roxas then set about caring for them one at a time. Luckily, it seemed Vexen hadn't been gone long; the food was low and the coop in desperate need of cleaning, but the chickens seemed relatively healthy.

After that, sweating and beyond tired, the blonde removed his horse's tack and brushed him, then put him in his stall with a warm blanket, food, and water. Proulx still seemed skittish, but he was calming down slowly.

"Easy, boy." Roxas patted his neck and smiled thinly. He felt terrible, though, and he was sure the horse could sense it.

He'd left in a hurry to find his father, but he'd be lying if he said he hadn't jumped at the chance. Axel wanted him gone, and he left. Now he could be home, where he belonged...

The blonde sighed sadly. Why did he feel so unhappy?

He really did care about Axel, but how could he ever love him? Leaving was probably for the best, the more he thought about it.

Something nudged his arm, startling him. Roxas blinked, realizing he'd begun to stare off into space. Proulx had turned his head to look back at him, and was whinnying softly.

"Sorry," he murmured, placing a hand on his forehead. It was too much to think about at the moment. It had been a trying day, and he was weary.

Smiling at the horse, he rubbed his nose affectionately. "I'm fine. I think I'll go to the house and lie down for a while. Be good, you hear?"

Proulx snorted, looking unconvinced.

"I promise it'll be fine. Don't worry about me." With a final pat, Roxas locked the stall door and trekked back through the snow to the house. He had lit only two lamps, one in his room and one in his father's. They glowed faintly through the windows, beckoning him to the warmth inside. The blonde was inside, kicking his damp boots off just as he heard a groan from the hall.

"Father, I'll be there in a moment! Don't get up!" He cast his cloak aside and hurried to the room. Vexen seemed to be tossing and turning in an uneasy sleep. He stirred as Roxas came to his side, settling on the edge of the bed.

"Wh-Where am I?" He shivered harshly as a warm cloth was placed on his forehead. "R-Roxas?"

The young blond smiled, relieved as he leaned down and gently embraced him. "Yes, Father. I'm home." Shaky arms wrapped around his back, and as he pulled away, the boy saw his father's eyes glistening with tears.

"You're...You're really here?" Cool hands touched his face, brushing a bit of his hair off to the side. "I thought I would never see you again."

"I've missed you so much," he whispered back, holding him close again. A few moments passed in silence as they sat comfortably in that embrace.

"You brought us home?" the old man asked hesitantly. Roxas looked up and nodded, but Vexen still seemed unsure.

"How did you escape that monster?"

"He's not a monster, Father," the boy said, somewhat irritably as he sat up. Despite all that had passed between them, Roxas didn't hate Axel or think he was a monster. "I didn't have to escape. He let me go..."

The old man looked at him like he was crazy, but Roxas didn't relent. "You didn't get to know him...You didn't see-"

"See? See what, son?" Vexen asked, his voice rising slightly. "How can you defend that beast after what he's done?"

"Because he saved my life."

Vexen blinked, looking immediately startled. But he made no move to interrupt, instead silently urging the boy to continue. The younger blonde sighed.

"At first, he seemed cold and cruel, just as you saw him. He never hurt me, but I worried that he might one day become angry enough to do so."

"One night, I tried to run away. There was a storm outside, but I was frightened and wasn't thinking clearly. Proulx and I hadn't gone far before we were attacked by wolves." Roxas shuddered at the memory of cold, gleaming eyes stalking them in the darkness. Those sharp fangs poised for the kill. Vexen watched him warily from the bed, his eyes wide and concerned.

"How did you get away?"

The boy shook his head shakily. "I almost didn't. Axel could have just left me to die, but he saved me. After that, he was very kind to me. H-He was my...my friend."

A palpable silence followed. The boy sat awkwardly, almost fidgeting for a moment. When his father still said nothing, regarding him curiously, he picked up the cloth again and wet it, pressing it to the man's forehead.

"But I'm here now. I'm going to take care of you, so please rest."

Vexen laid back into the pillow and sighed, submitting to the help and looking thoughtful. He didn't say anything for a while, but watched Roxas intently, studying his face quietly. It was beginning to make the boy uncomfortable, but he didn't comment. Roxas was happy that the fever was going down a bit. Perhaps soon he could stumble off and fall asleep, once he was sure the worst was over...

The voice of his father startled him as he went to change the water.

"Is there something troubling you, son?"

The boy blinked. With a sigh, he looked over his shoulder, hoping his face showed how deeply tired he was.

"You seem a bit distracted. Are you sure you're happy to be home?"

'Oh course!" he replied quickly. "I missed you so much. I wanted to see you every day." He offered a small, weak smile. "I'm just tired, that's all. If you think you'll be alright now, I'll go get some rest myself. I'm sure I'll feel better then."

With that, the door closed behind him. Roxas returned to his old room and practically fell into bed.

It was still his room, just the way he remembered it, but it didn't feel so much like "home" now. Nothing about this place had been all that comforting before, and the people even less so. Sooner or later he would have to think about what he really wanted...

Roxas sighed and crawled under the covers, letting his eyes fall shut and his mind blank. It was only a short reprieve from his thoughts, but he appreciated it greatly.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was only a short time later that the boy was awoken by the sounds of a struggle. Roxas's blue eyes shot open, and within seconds he was out of the bed and running to his father's room, grabbing the first thing he came across to use as a club. Sadly, it was only an old broom with a worn handle, but it would have to do. He burst into the room, ready to fight-

"Hello, _Beautiful_..." Seifer sat on the edge of the bed, muscular arms crossed and smirking casually. Behind him were a couple townspeople that Roxas didn't recognize, but he saw that they were attempting to drag Vexen out of bed.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" the young blonde shouted, charging with broom in hand. He managed to smack one man soundly on the head, forcing him to stumble back and groan, but the other men dodged him easily, several of them laughing at his efforts. Roxas fumed at them, striking out a few more times before he was grabbed from behind and forced to drop his weapon.

"LET GO OF ME!" He thrashed as he turned to Seifer, his tone still acid. "SEIFER, TELL THEM TO LET ME GO, OR I'LL-"

"Easy, Roxas." The older boy sauntered over to him slowly, taking his chin in one hand. "No need to strain that pretty voice of yours."

Roxas jerked away from his hand, trying to kick out at him even as his arms were yanked back.

"I SWEAR, SEIFER, YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF!"

Vexen groaned behind him, sounding winded. Emotions shifting from anger to alarm, Roxas struggled hard against his attackers, craning his neck to make sure his father was alright.

"NO! STOP IT! LET HIM GO!"

Seifer stepped closer and grabbed his chin again, turning Roxas to look at him.

"Don't worry, Roxas. We're not going to hurt him," he said smoothly. "We're just sending him somewhere where he can't hurt himself or anyone else..."

The boy looked back at the man, angry and horrified. "What are you talking about? He's never hurt anyone!"

"He's been raving about beasts and all sorts of crazy things, ya know?"

Everyone looked over to see Rai and Fuu enter the room. Rai was grinning smugly, but Fuu kept her usual emotionless gaze. It was cold, calculating...

Roxas shook his head wildly. "He was telling the truth! I _was _living with a beast in a castle! My father is not crazy!"

Despite his assurance, the whole room began to laugh derisively. Rai began mocking him, laughing, "You sure about this, Seifer? He sounds as crazy as his old man, ya know?"

"Cracked."

"I'M NOT CRACKED, AND NEITHER IS MY FATHER! NOW GET OFF ME!" Roxas yelled, striking out and thrashing as much as he could.

Seifer glared at Rai and Fuu briefly, but soon turned his attention back to Roxas, giving him a charming smile.

"I really wish there was something I could do, Roxas. I feel awful about this happening to you.."

"LIKE HELL YOU DO!" the boy shrieked, looking like he'd love nothing more than to punch Seifer hard in the jaw. The older boy ignored Roxas's glare, pretending to look thoughtful for a moment. Then he spoke up again, looking sly and confident.

"You know, I just might be able to clear this up and send them away," He gestured to everyone. But Roxas looked at him dubiously.

"If?"

His smile widened. "If you agree to be mine."

Roxas looked horrified and disgusted at that suggestion, and at once he and Vexen began to struggle more violently. Roxas elbowed the man on his right hard in the ribs, and as soon as his grip loosened he shoved the man away. The boy then began punching the other man holding him as hard as he could, kicking up a scuffle. When he pulled free at last, Roxas ran to his father's side, fighting the villagers tooth and nail.

"Shall I take that as a yes?"

The boy glowered at him. "Go to hell."

"That hurts a lot, Roxas. It's just one little word," Seifer said, his voice and expression growing darker. "But you might as well give it up. It's either come with me willingly, or your father goes off to the madhouse. If you're lucky, you won't be joining him."

"YOU'RE SCUM, SEIFER! I'D NEVER GO WITH SOMEONE LIKE YOU!"

"That's a shame." With a sneer and a snap of his fingers, more people filed into the room, several of them moving to grab Roxas while the others dragged Vexen away.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"

Roxas looked around desperately for a minute, trying to think of a way out of this situation. He had nothing to fight them off with now; just as helpless as he had been against the wolves.

"WE'RE TELLING THE TRUTH! I CAN PROVE IT!" And before anyone could say anything, he was digging through his bag, pulling out the enchanted mirror. Clasping the handle desperately, he cried, "Show me Axel!"

The surface of the mirror changed to reveal a dark castle in the forest. As the scene changed, everyone gasped upon seeing the large, hulking red beast sitting alone on a bed. His face was hidden in huge paws, but his shoulders were hunched miserably and lightly quivering. Roxas felt his heart clenching at the sight, touching the glass wistfully.

_Axel... _The beast was hurting badly because of him. He knew now leaving had been wrong. Even if Axel had sent him away, he had still promised...

Then the mirror was grabbed away from him, and Roxas saw Seifer gazing into it disgustedly.

"My god...What _is _that thing? It's hideous!" He spat, smashing the mirror into the wall and breaking the image instantly. The younger boy cried out miserably as he watched the shards of glass fall away and clatter to the floor. In a rage, he charged Seifer, punching him with all his fury.

"THAT WAS MINE! AXEL GAVE THAT TO ME!"

"Axel?" Seifer grabbed him by the front of his shirt, sneering. "That _thing _has a name?" He shook his head and shook Roxas harshly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you had feelings for this monster."

Roxas glared back defiantly, slapping his hand away. "And what if I do? It's got nothing to do with you! Besides, Axel is more of a man than you'll ever be!"

The room began buzzing with murmurs of fear and outrage. Roxas felt a cold twist in his gut, seeing those burning eyes piercing into him.

"Disgusting..."

"That monster looks dangerous! How close is he to the village?"

"He'll be after our wives and children for sure!"

"We've got to do something about him now, before he gets us!"

"No! Listen to me, everyone!" Roxas fought to be heard over the growing din. "Axel wouldn't harm anyone! I've seen him!"

Seifer scoffed. "You're as crazy as your old man!" He then faced the gathering crowd and shouted, "This beast _is _too dangerous to be left alone! I say we go to the castle and be rid of him once and for all!"

Everyone cheered. They all had confidence that if anyone could hunt down and kill this monster, Seifer could.

The man nodded confidently, grinning even as Roxas punched him and tried to jerk away. He shook the boy harshly, jerking him closer.

"Since you care so much about this monster, you can be our bait. Lead us to his castle, and I may just let your father go."


	18. 18

I'm a dirty liar! I promised I'd stop after chapter 18, but I lied! Hopefully no one is too mad at me for that though :) I'm just guessing based on the messages I keep getting that all say "Oh my god, so many updates! Thank you!" Hooray for crazy writing spree!

* * *

Axel hadn't moved from his spot on the bed in quite some time. He felt weary and lethargic, even when he was able to force his thoughts away and sleep there was no relief from his pain. He'd watched the sun rise and set again, and still he had barely moved an inch.

_Roxas..._

He'd given up trying to stop the tears as well. His eyes always seemed to have more to give. The minute he felt he had no more to cry, he would think of the boy who once lit up his life and they returned with a vengeance. Just like they were right now...

Why hadn't he gone to say goodbye? It was the last thing he wanted to do at the time, seeing as how he stormed away on such an awkward note; but now that Roxas was gone and the future was looking more and more dismal, it was the thing he wanted to do more than anything. Now he really knew how Roxas must have felt that night; watching his loved one disappear without so much as a comforting word.

Axel grabbed his head in his paws again and whined. All was quiet in the room, other than the pathetic sounds of his misery. No one had come to visit him since yesterday night. They were all probably downstairs, cleaning away the signs of Christmas and the night that never was. There wasn't much of a reason to be merry now...

Just then, the two servants he knew best hopped into his room again, forgoing all decorum and coming straight to the edge of the bed. Axel raised an eyebrow at them, but didn't comment. Whatever they were so worked up about, it'd better warrant them boldly interrupting his sorrows.

"Master! Xigbar spotted a glow in the distance! He thinks there might be strangers approaching the castle!"

The beast blinked at that briefly, but he quickly turned away again, sounding sad and completely uninterested.

"I don't care. Let them do whatever they want."

"But Master-"

"Maybe it's Roxas!" Demyx chimed in hopefully, not noticing Axel wince at his words. "Maybe he's come back already!"

Luxord shot him an irritable look, smacking him on the head. "You imbecile! One person wouldn't carry a light that big! It's a group of strangers headed this way!" He hopped to the side of the bed Axel was facing now and grabbed his knee. "What should we do, Master?"

"I told you, I don't care."

"But what if they have guns? If they stumble upon this castle, they could kill you!" Demyx nodded nervously, joining the two of them on the other side. But still, Axel shook his head, replying flatly.

"How would you suggest I stop them, Luxord?"

The servant was hopelessly silent for a moment. The way the castle was built, there was almost no where they could retreat to. The doors were made of heavy, strong wood, but even that couldn't keep intruders out forever. Enough of them could come and break down the door, and then everyone would be helpless to stop them.

"W-We could escape now! Take everyone and leave by the front gate! If we hurry now, we can make it past them before they arrive! Then we'll be safe!"

"But what's the use?" Axel asked sadly, looking down to gaze at one of his large, monstrous paws. "We're going to be stuck this way forever...Why not just let them come?"

"This isn't just about you, Axel!" Demyx snapped, causing the beast to flinch, if only slightly. Luxord nodded, adding in right away.

"Some of us have children and loved ones, Master! Not all of us are ready to die simply because we'll never be human again!"

"Then at least _you'll _never be alone!" The redhead growled bitterly, his tone bitting and intent to guilt. He turned away to face the other side, unable to stand the sight of them anymore.

"Keep your lives and loved ones if you will. By all means, escape! Escape and be imprisoned elsewhere! But leave me be..."

Everything was still and silent as the objects watched their master sadly. Demyx didn't want to leave his friend all alone here, as strange as it was. In all their years together, he'd never seen a lonelier soul than Axel, and so he tried again and again to cheer him up and make him feel like he had a friend. It didn't always work, of course, and maybe Roxas was the only one who could ever share and nurture his pain, but Demyx still wanted to hope that maybe he could ease it, if only just a little. That's why, even if the others, even Zexion, left, he would probably have to stay with Axel. It was the least he could offer...

At last the silence was broken again; Luxord came to a decision and sighed heavily.

"As you wish, Master. I will talk to the others and see..." Demyx knew it was hard on the old clock as well. He was still loyal to Axel as well, but he needed to do what was best for everyone.

The candelabra followed Luxord out of the room, leaving Axel to wallow as he wished. But all the while, Demyx's brain was wracking itself, trying to think of how to save the castle and his friends. There just had to be a way...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

On the other side of things, as Seifer's group was drawing nearer to the castle, Roxas was far from being a docile participant.

"Seifer, stop! You're making a mistake!"

The older teen blatantly ignored his protests. Dragging Roxas with one hand and holding a torch in the other, he led the other village men forward through the snow and brush confidently, seeking out the monster's castle. It turned out that Roxas was telling the truth about the confusing trails; the boy insisted he had no idea how to get back once the snow had covered his earlier tracks. Undaunted, Seifer used his dagger to mark the trees with a specific sign, so that they would know when they had taken a wrong turn. So far the tactic was serving them well.

The sky above looked to be getting even darker. Maybe a storm would be settling in soon. The air around them was saturated, causing a light mist to settle at the base of the mountains. It drifted in and out of the trees, as if nature itself was trying to hide the castle from view, but still Seifer didn't stop. He pressed on quickly, tugging his stumbling captive in tow beside him with no remorse.

Roxas panicked when he saw the old towers coming into view. He wrenched at his bound wrists even more frantically, wincing as the rope began to burn his skin.

"Seifer, please! Don't do this! He won't hurt anyone, I promise!"

"Oh?" Seifer sneered and pulled him practically against his chest, growling at the pathetic whimper of protest. "Never heard of a sweet, gentle monster before. Must be a rare breed. He'll make a great addition to my trophies."

"No! Don't you touch him! If you want him, you'll have to go through me first!"

The older boy laughed harshly, tightening his grip on his shoulder painfully. "Well, that shouldn't be too hard. Half of my job is already been done for me. Now move it. I wouldn't dream of being late to meet your precious _Axel..._"

With that he pressed on again, and eventually the group came to the front gates of the castle. Rai unchained the bars and pushed the iron gate aside, gesturing for Seifer and the others to continue. The blond smirked as he went forward; his eyes trained on the highest tower above.

This beast would pay for stealing Roxas's heart. Seifer was determined that he would pay with his own, because in the end, Seifer would always get what he wanted...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"So you guys really aren't leaving?"

Demyx looked around at the gathering of servants happily. Despite the severity of the situation, he was glad they hadn't decided to abandon Axel.

Marluxia nodded firmly. "If this threat really does come to the castle, we'll fight it off. This is our home, and we're not going to give it up so easily. Especially not to a bunch of mangy dogs like them!"

The others muttered words of agreement, and finally Luxord had to relent, shaking his head and sighing softly.

"Alright, fine! But at least get those who can't fight down in the cellar or somewhere safe like that!"

"Okay!" Demyx cheered. To the others, he seemed much too happy about a potentially dangerous fight, but then, Demyx was a strange agent. Zexion shook his head and smiled helplessly, moving to stand by the enthused candelabra, but not too close to be burned by his flames. It was a shame they couldn't stand as close anymore, and probably never would...

"I say we split up and take them out in separate groups! There's probably enough of them; we can lure them away from the others and BAM! They'll never know what hit em!"

"I like the idiot's plan!" Xigbar shot back, grinning wickedly. "It's a damn shame I don't have any powder in here though! I WANT TO SEE SOME BLOOD!"

Several of the servants shivered at that, no where near as excited about bloodshed, but Marluxia smiled down at the old sharp shooter.

"You'll do fine, Xigbar. With the right force, you can still deal a good blow to the head with either end of that rifle."

Just as Luxord was about to interrupt, Larxene stormed onto the scene looking crankier than ever.

"Hey! Useless men!" Every one of them winced at the shrillness of her voice. "If you're through standing around like the dead weight that you are, get over to the window! There's a slight complication in the plan!"

"What?" Luxord and Demyx were the first to start moving, and as they reached the large window Larxene motioned down to the castle gates. The servants looked down to see the large mass of men that were attempting to push through, but their eyes soon fixed on the front of this group, on a familiar head of blond, spiky hair.

"Is that Roxas?"

Demyx squinted down through the darkness and saw that it was in fact the boy who had left them not even a day ago. He still looked miserable and angry, but seemed to focus all of this on the young man beside him, with Roxas very visibly struggling.

"It is!" Demyx cried. "And it looks like he's in trouble!"

"Not as much trouble as we'll be in if we don't do something about these bastards!" Larxene snarled, before she turned back toward the kitchens. Luxord watched her go, then nodded as he turned to Demyx.

"That's a good idea. Let's make sure everyone has a place to hide in. We'll help him when we can, but not right now."

The candelabra looked down sadly at his friend, then back to Luxord. There wasn't much of a choice at this point. He agreed softly and followed the old clock back to the main room, instructing objects they met on their way. All he could do now was pray for the best.

_I hope Axel stays out of sight..._

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

As soon as they were inside the castle, Roxas tried to scream to warn his friends. Seifer hadn't been too pleased with that at all; thinking fast, he'd slapped the blond in mid-cry, cutting if off immediately. No one came in response to the short noise, to which the mob breathed a sigh of relief, but Seifer was through playing around. Approaching the grand staircase, he dragged the now bound and gagged Roxas up the steps quickly, stopping only at the top of the west wing entrance to address the other townspeople.

"Search the rooms on this floor, then move upstairs. If you spot the beast first, don't kill him. I want to do it myself."

Hushed murmurs agreed, and the crowd soon dispersed, opening the side doors and venturing cautiously inside. Seifer smirked and drew a longer sword from his belt, hooking his other arm through Roxas's elbow. Even with the annoying extra baggage, he still felt the thrilling call of the hunt.

_Let the struggle begin..._

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

"Hey, this place is loaded, ya know?" Rai said eagerly, admiring a particularly expensive looking vase sitting on a nearby table. The room he and Fuu were in now looked to be some kind of parlor, decorated with a few books, a few tables, and a tall, regal armchair by a rustic fireplace. The only light in the places was a lone candelabra, sitting beside the vase on the table. A couple other objects were there as well, but they seemed out of place, even to the less thoughtful of the two. A pink wardrobe?

"Once the monster's dead, maybe we can hoard this stuff, ya know? I mean, there's gotta be at least enough to-"

"Quiet," Fuu snapped, raising an arm in front of him. "Listen." She'd just heard the creak of a door for sure. Something told her that they were not alone in this room anymore, but when the two intruders looked around, they saw no shadows, no movement. And certainly no hulking, blood-red beast.

The creak came again. The sound of wood moving on hard floors. As Rai scratched his head in confusion, he and Fuu failed to see the mahogany wardrobe inching its way closer, now towering next to the dark-haired girl.

Then, in a split second, there was an ear-shattering crash. Rai spun around to see that the wardrobe handed tipped somehow and fallen on his partner, crushing her painfully beneath. He grabbed the candelabra for a bit of better lighting and moved to help her, when suddenly he felt a hot tap on his shoulder blade.

The candelabra was grinning at him evilly now, a fact that his limited brain just couldn't seem to comprehend.

"_Bonjour..."_


	19. 19

Screams erupted throughout the first floor of the castle as the servants put their plan in motion. Many of the greedy villagers looking for a quick and easy steal were unpleasantly surprised when the seemingly harmless household objects began to speak, move, and even attack. An unfortunate number of men stumbled into the kitchen and were faced with a murderous Larxene; her cackling could almost be heard above their terrified shrieks behind those closed doors. Demyx proceeded to spill hot wax and set Rai's shirt on fire, forcing the burning man back out of the castle and immediately into the snow; Fuu, on the other hand, was knocked out cold by Marluxia, if not completely crushed. And, after managing to shove her into his drawers, he carried her outside and deposited her in the snow as well.

Demyx and Marluxia then returned to the main hall, glancing around as men and objects fought or fled in terror. It was quickly turning into total chaos.

"I think we should go help those fine china pieces," the candelabra said thoughtfully, wincing a bit as he heard a gun shot go off nearby which was followed by shouts of obscenities. "What you wanna bet Xigbar managed to steal some powder off one of these guys?"

Marluxia nodded back, sighing slightly. "I think it's more than possible. If there's a way, he'd find it."

The two were then interrupted by a loud shout, and just as they turned to see a heavy-set man wielding a rather large axe behind them, the axe itself pulled free of the man's hand and soundly thwacked him with the blunt side on his head. When he fell to the ground with a audible thump, the wardrobe acknowledged the smiling axe and turned back to his companion.

"Perhaps I should help with unloading the unconscious ones outside. They can take care of their own, provided they have the morality for it." For village men, these people all seemed very cutthroat. Not the type you might see settled down with families. He gestured towards a man who was fleeing from a set of rather blunt dinner knives, leaving his injured partner behind to face their wrath. Demyx frowned with disgust.

"So what if they freeze or get left behind? Serves em right, I say!"

Just then Luxord appeared on the scene, fuming and splotched with blood all over him. Demyx shivered as he approached, and Marluxia dryly raised an eyebrow.

"What happened to you? You do know that'll rust your gears, correct?"

The clock narrowed his eyes at them, and through his clasped hands Demyx swore he could see the man's favorite deck of playing cards, also somewhat stained with blood. Those were a special gift from a close friend of Luxord's, and it was plain to see that he wasn't taking the stain well at the moment.

"I caught a rather large baffoon messing with my cards, bending with them, scattering them all over the place..." he muttered darkly. "NO ONE touches the cards."

A moment of a silence, and then the disturbed candelabra hopped forward.

"Okay...Marly, that sounds like a good idea! You go do that! Luxord," he added uncertainly, looking at the murderous gleam in his eye, "Why don't you find a good place to put those down and come help fight? You can hit these guys all you want, if it makes you feel better."

"Marvelous. I'll be sure to have some fun with it this time..."

The objects parted ways there and continued fighting off the intruders. Meanwhile upstairs, Axel was still sulking in the west wing. He lay stretched across the old, ruined bed, gazing down at a familiar golden locket held reverently in his paw. The gold had lost it brilliant shine long ago, and the picture was beginning to look a little faded around the rim, but Axel didn't care. It was still precious to him, and as of where things stood now, it was more important to him than even the enchanted rose.

_This is all I have left now..._ he thought sadly, touching Ven's pale face with a hand now much too large for the little locket. The beast sighed, wishing he could still feel the warmth. The painted image was a lie; it was Ven, and yet it wasn't him. It showed him the young man he longed to see, but it could not let him _see_ him, _feel _him, or _touch _him. Blue eyes that he remembered so vividly stared back at him with that sweet gaze, but to Axel they were flat and dead eyes, not ones shining with light and life like he wished to see.

He knew bitterly that nothing could bring that back to him. In her infinite cruelness, the enchantress ensured that he would never be able to move on. He would never be able to find love, so scarred and ugly as he was both in body and heart. Now the one person fate had brought right to his doorstep had to haunt him with the past and condemn him for the future.

_Roxas..._

Looking upon it as he did now, Axel saw a new face in the locket; the young face softer and more emotive, his eyes melting with warmth and even a little seduction. For a moment, Axel saw a hand enter the frame, almost transcending the page as it beckoned to him, its owner smiling with a small, delicate upturn of pink lips.

The beast growled and grabbed for his head, willing the image to return to normal. When his fist unclenched and he looked down again, the image no longer seemed to come to life, but the person in it had indeed changed. It was as if a similar looking blond had lured away the original subject from the picture, then replacing himself in the forefront as the focal point. Axel, to his awe and growing despair, no longer saw Ventus smiling back at him from the locket.

Every time he looked at it now, the only one he saw was Roxas.

_Roxas..._

Moaning piteously, the beast grabbed his head with one paw and chucked the locket away with the other. It landed somewhere on the other side of the room; though he knew it wouldn't snap or break so easily, it would certainly be scratched and dusty. Wallowing in his misery, Axel wished with all his broken heart that someone would come and end his pain.

It was that moment that a searing sting suddenly spread over his left arm, and the beast roared with fury and agony.

He turned quickly towards the door and, sure enough, halfway in there stood a young man smirking with triumph. He was relatively tall, as far as humans go, and fairly muscular; the only thing that struck Axel as unusual was the hat that he wore to cover his hair. He was sneering as Axel gripped the dagger and pulled it roughly from his arm, letting the blood-stained steel fall to the floor and clatter uselessly.

"Your end is here, beast!"

Axel's flaring anger cooled quickly, returning him to his earlier cold, miserable indifference. He said nothing, and simply moved to turn away, cradling his now wounded arm.

The boy (for that was really all he seemed to Axel) raised an eyebrow.

"You're not going to fight back?" When no response came he scoffed. "I guess Roxas was right. You really _are _pathetic now."

At that name the beast spun around. His heart ripped itself apart at those words, but his eyes were searing with rage as he stared down the smirking boy.

"What would _you _know about Roxas?" he snarled, his fists clawing tightly now into the already badly torn sheets. The boy laughed harshly, seeing his pain and enjoying every minute of it.

"The name's Seifer. I'm gonna be the one Roxas chooses. And you," he growled, pointing directly at Axel," are Axel. The most worthless excuse for a beast I've ever seen in my life! You can't scare anyone, you can't kill anyone...hell, who would ever care for a _thing _like you?"

The beast was out of the bed and bounding for the door faster than the words that left his snarling lips.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

He was almost to the boy, ready to tear him to bloody little shreds, when said boy smirked wider and pulled something in front of him to block the attack. Something smaller, thinner, and noticeably paler that Axel finally recognized just as his claw was raised for the kill...

"R-Roxas?"

The beast lowered his paw and dove back just as he saw a sword slice forward, aiming for his heart while he was distracted. As he regained his bearings and looked back up, Axel's eyes widened at the sight of the boy. Roxas's eyes were fixed on his arm, his blue eyes going suddenly wide and terrified. He was shouting muffled cries of something behind a gag in his mouth as he thrashed in the stranger's hold, his gaze never leaving Axel. For his part, Axel was too stunned to speak. He didn't know whether to feel bitter, or cry out with joy at seeing the boy again. Perhaps it was the wrong time for it now, but Axel was beginning to feel new encouragement, thanks to his earlier revelation with the locket. Somehow, now, he saw what was important; what was alive and in front of him at this very moment.

And for the first time, as he looked into those eyes that were reaching for him, he saw Roxas and only Roxas.

But the moment couldn't last. The stillness had persisted too long for Seifer's liking, so he stepped forward, dragging the smaller blonde with him.

"I brought him along to see you and say goodbye. Go ahead and say goodbye, Roxas." With that, he tore the gag out of the younger boy's mouth, smirking as he coughed a little at the suddenness. In mere seconds, though, the boy's head snapped up.

"Seifer, you bastard! Stop being an idiot!" He then turned to Axel, his tone a bit more desperate, even a bit sad. "I'm sorry, Axel. I never meant for this to happen."

"It's alright, Roxas," Axel replied simply, giving him a sad smile. He genuinely hoped it didn't look bitter. "You don't have to apologize. You had no obligation to protect me."

"No, it's not that!" the boy shouted, shaking his head. "He threatened my father! I had no choice! But you can still get away! Please, Axel! Run!"

"Yes, run away, _Axel_," Seifer sneered mockingly, eyes locked on the beast with a look of disgust. "You're the kind and gentle beast, remember? Just run away like a bloody coward!"

Axel glared fiercely back at him, but all the while his mind was reeling. Regardless of how it had come to this, he wanted to protect Roxas. He loved him, and would still even if the boy led him to his doom. Surely, by now, the rose had wilted anyway. There was nothing else worth living for...

_I have to get Roxas away from him...but how?_

Fortunately, it seemed Seifer's impatience would solve that problem for him.

"The way you bewitched Roxas...it makes me _sick_," he snarled, "The sooner I kill you, the sooner he'll be mine again!"

Roxas glared at him, giving an indignant shout. "I never _was _yours!"

With that, Seifer threw the boy aside, stunning both him and Axel for just the moment he needed. The angered blonde lept forward, tackling the beast with surprising force and sending the two of them out the window, beyond the balcony. Axel growled and thrashed as he felt sharp metal tearing at his flesh, his fur, and everything else. But Axel didn't care about that. Roxas was safe for now, but just for the audacity of touching him, Axel swore that Seifer would pay with his life.

Only then would his love be truly safe.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

For what seemed like hours Roxas struggled on the floor, fighting to get himself upright again. He'd hit his head when he was thrown to the ground, temporarily stunning him as a powerful ache wracked his skull. He was dizzy and disoriented, but knew he had to get up. He had to go help Axel!

This was all his fault, but now wasn't the time to be self-pitying. As the patter of rain first began to fall against the roof outside, the boy wished there was something nearby to cut his hands free. Squirming over to a mass of broken and decaying wood, probably the remains of some unfortunate writing desk, Roxas turned himself and began slicing the ropes on the jagged wood, yelping when a stray splinter rubbed against his already raw wrist. It hurt a lot, but Roxas pushed the pain from his mind and set himself to the task, thinking only of Axel and the smear of blood he saw stained on the floor.

The wood made quick work of the rope thankfully, but just as he was about to join the fight, Roxas saw a small glitter of gold in the mess. He crawled over to it and pulled it out carefully, gasping to see the beast's treasured locket, half open, battered, and forgotten on the floor. The boy ran his finger over the picture briefly, looking down with a blank expression at the familiar golden-haired boy inside.

Though not knowing what it meant, Roxas felt a small flutter of hope in his chest. But now wasn't the time to be worried about their silly little problems. So, with little reluctance, the boy shoved the treasure into his pocket and ran over through the now shattered balcony window. He reached the cool edge and looked around frantically, his eyes suddenly being pelted by heavy rain. Just through the haze, he looked up and saw the shadows of two figures fighting higher up on the roof; one large and bulky while the other was smaller and lean. He knew them at once, and gasped as the larger one seemed to stumble back, clutching at himself in pain.

"Axel!"

The little blond hopped up on the slick railing carefully and pulled himself up onto the roof. The tile was also slick and treacherous, and several times Roxas nearly lost his footing, almost sending him back down and surely tumbling over the side. But he gripped his handholds tightly with strong fingers, practically clawing up the roof as his eyes lit with anger and determination.

There was no way he was letting Seifer hurt Axel.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Axel stood on the high edge of the roof, panting harshly as he gripped his wounded arm. The loss of blood was affecting him more than he hoped it would, making it harder to fight and get a good hold of the boy. That, and Seifer seemed to be no stranger to blood and violence. He vaguely caught himself wondering how Roxas managed to get involved with this guy in the first place, but quickly dismissed it. He seemed to be the type that wouldn't take no for an answer, more stubborn than even the little blond himself. Though he was no where near sweet or cute like Roxas was.

Seifer seemed to be getting cockier as the fight went on, swinging his sword wildly and blocking most of Axel's attacks. Axel _had _managed to slash his cheek and a part of his chest, however; a fact that the beast was quite proud of. He hoped that knocked the violent perfectionist down a notch. Now the boy was approaching him slowly, ready to try and knock him down the roof and inevitably off.

Deciding to have some fun, Axel smirked.

"Why are you so obsessed with me and Roxas? Does it bother you that much that I'm more of a man than you'll ever be?"

"Shut up!" the boy growled angrily, slicing and missing as Axel dodged his quick attack.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve there? Do you want to hear about all the _fun _we had when Roxas was staying here?" He was lying, of course, but knew it would be enough to rile him up. The stupid boy was bound to make a mistake soon, and then he'd grab him...

Seifer's face flushed red, whether from anger, disgust, or embarrassment, Axel couldn't tell. It was highly satisfying though and, as predicted, Seifer was preparing a sloppy attack, leaving himself wide open.

"That's disgusting! How dare you taint him?"

But just as he raised his sword to attack, a pair of smaller, thinner arms wrapped around him from behind, halting his attack. Seifer snarled with rage and began to thrash, but Axel was frozen, horrified, as he recognized the attacker.

"Roxas!"

The little blond clung to Seifer for dear life, refusing to let go even when his hand was sliced by Seifer's sword in the struggle. The boy whimpered briefly but did not let go, earning him several more random but mildly deep cuts on his arms and even his cheek.

"Roxas, let go! Get away from him!"

Then Seifer managed to throw him off, catching Roxas's wrist before he could fall and pulling him close, glaring angrily. The younger boy shivered under his stare, but tried to glare defiantly in spite of the new disgust and viciousness he saw in those eyes.

"If I can't have you, no one can!" And then time seemed to slow down for Axel, as Seifer shoved hard and sent Roxas tumbling down the side of the roof.

"ROXAS!"

The blond kicked at the roof under his feet and grabbed for anything he could find, but the slick surface kept him sliding down, until he finally reached the very edge. Axel felt his heart shatter at the sight of him sliding right off the roof; but at the last minute, luckily, the boy clung onto the edge and held it tightly enough to stay. Roxas now dangled precariously over the chasm below the castle; the only thing keeping him from his untimely death were the few little fingers clasping and clawing for purchase on the slippery surface.

"Axel!"

"Roxas, hold on! I'm coming!" The beast went to slid down himself, but was stopped by the sting of Seifer's sword. Before it had a chance to slice through his shoulder, Axel grabbed it in one paw and pushed it away from him with a strong force. In a rage, he moved forward, too fast for Seifer to stop, and caught the boy by the throat, pulling him over and dangling him over the edge now as well.

"No! Wait!" Seifer began to sob and whine, clawing at the paws to no avail. "Don't kill me! Please! I'll do anything!"

"You've done enough!" Axel snarled in reply, tightening his grip and feeling sick pleasure inside as his victim began to choke. "I'm going to make sure you never hurt anyone again!"

"No, please! I'll be good, I promise! Just let me go!"

Axel was tempted to ignore the pleas; tempted to just bite the bastard's head off right then and there. But then he heard Roxas's cry, and instantly his focus was elsewhere. The boy was kicking wildly, his fingers clawing at the edge of the roof, unable to pull himself up. He was trying with all his might not to look terrified, but Axel knew that he was. His eyes were wide and his lip was quivering violently as he grit his teeth. It looked like he wasn't going to hold out much longer...

He was wasting his time on this idiot. With a growl, Axel released Seifer, hearing him scream as he began his descent into the abyss. Not stopping to think or watch him fall, Axel bounded over to Roxas, using his claws to keep from slipping on the slanted, wet surface. Just as the boy lost his grip, Axel was there; he grabbed the thin, battered wrist tightly and stopped him not a minute too soon. And once those clenched blue eyes opened and looked up at him, both hearts swelled with relief.

"Axel!" Small fingers immediately sought his and squeezed with grateful pressure.

The beast smiled warmly; soppy, wet fur clung to his face and his body, making him look like a giant red, wet dog. Roxas couldn't suppress a small chuckle as he was pulled back onto the roof, immediately latching himself into Axel's arms as he almost sobbed with relief. Axel returned the embrace eagerly, rocking him slightly in those warm, wet arms and feeling his own personal sorrows lifting away, if only temporarily. Roxas was safe, and he was holding him close, cherishing the contact. It felt like the most natural thing in the world.

"Why did you come up here?" he asked sternly, finally pulling back and looking down at the soaked boy. He looked at Roxas's bloody arms and face and felt angry. "You could have been killed!"

"So could you!" the stubborn blonde argued, slapping the beast's arm and making him wince slightly. Roxas immediately regretted the action, and he looked up at him apologetically.

"I couldn't lose you, Axel. You're my friend. I-"

A miserable, inhuman howl of pain erupted from Axel's throat, silencing him, and Roxas looked up, horrified, to see Seifer standing behind them, his sword in Axel's stomach and cutting up slowly towards his heart. Before he could scream or make any sound at all, his friend grabbed Seifer and pulled him off, throwing him off the side of the castle. The last thing Roxas saw of him was the terror of death in his bright, blue eyes.


	20. 20

Roxas stared after Seifer's retreating form in the rain, frozen by horror. True enough, he was glad to see the bastard gone; but the departure was so terrible, Roxas wasn't even sure Seifer deserved it. The sight of his eyes as he fell was so haunting that the blond remained seated there for a moment, unable to forget the image in his head.

He was brought back to reality by a pitiful groan from Axel. The beast was hunched over and bleeding profusely; for a short second, Roxas was almost afraid he'd lost consciousness. But he saw soft, pained green eyes raise to meet his, and suddenly, Seifer didn't matter anymore.

"Axel! Hold on!" he cried, positioning himself under Axel's arm to try and lift his hulking body. His feet slipped several times, bringing him dangerously closer to the ledge, but with great effort, Roxas pulled his friend back up the roof, over to where the ground was even. He shakily moved back onto the west wing balcony, lugging Axel behind him carefully, before laying the redhead down flat on the cool, wet ground. In his worries, Roxas missed seeing a few of the servants standing at the broken window, their expressions quickly turning melancholy.

"Axel, Axel, it's okay now," Roxas soothed gently, touching his friend's face tenderly. As the boy looked down and saw the steady flow of blood streaming from his wound, he sat back up. "We're safe. Hold on, I'll fix you."

He then reached for the bottom of his shirt, hoping to tear off enough to staunch the bleeding. Realizing that the wound was too big, almost bigger than him, Roxas decided to use his whole shirt instead. He looked over the wound nervously, willing his mind to think of anything else besides the crimson liquid mixing with the rain on the hard floor, or Axel's growing stillness.

As his hands reached to pull off his shirt, not even bothering to stop and undo the buttons, a large paw stopped him, wrapping loosely around one of his thin wrists. Roxas looked up quickly, relieved to see Axel moving slightly as the beast raised his head weakly to see him.

"Stop," came his pained whisper. "You'll catch your death up here like that."

The blond reached up to wipe a tear away, under the pretense of moving the rain-soaked hair from his face. He shook his head firmly then, leaning closer to Axel.

"Axel, you're bleeding. I have to stop it somehow." The paw on his wrist held firm, refusing to let go even as Roxas tugged. "Please let go. I'll get you back inside, warm you up...You'll be back to your old self in no time."

The beast coughed a little, causing even the sad smile on Roxas's face to vanish instantly. When the boy was least expecting it, Axel pulled him forward by the wrist, sending him falling forward and catching himself on Axel's side. Roxas gasped and looked up quickly, now finding himself inches away from Axel's face. He could see the light fading from his eyes, slowly but surely, as another pained grunt left his lips.

"As great as that sounds, I don't think I can do that, kid," the beast laughed breathlessly, catching Roxas's cheek in his other paw. "Bastard got me good there...I think this might be it..."

"No! Axel, don't talk like that!" Roxas cried, leaning forward and hugging his friend, burying his face into the unmarred side of his furry chest. "You can't leave me!"

The paw around his wrist let go and slid behind to rest on the small of his back, drawing the blond even closer. It then began rubbing gently in smooth circles, as the two of them stayed like that, unmoving for several minutes. Luxord stood in the just outside the shelter of the roof, the rain rusting and washing the blood and sweat from him quickly. He watched, miserable, even as Demyx hopped over close to his side, not quite in the rain himself. The candelabra gasped loudly, shattering the quiet air as he shook his head in dismay.

"No! No, it can't be true! Axel!"

Luxord stopped him before he could hop out into the rain, shaking his own head to deter him. He motioned back to the two on the balcony, and immediately Demyx understood. He hopped back a ways, keeping his flames sheltered under the roof, but didn't leave. He couldn't bear to leave now.

Roxas raised his head and looked into Axel's eyes beseechingly, not even bothering to hide his tears now.

"I...I won't let you die! Do you here me? I'm going to save you!" He grabbed for his shirt again, tearing a little off this time, and pressed it into the worst part of the stab wound. Axel hissed in pain, but shook his head then all the same, reaching out and pulling the boy's hand away again.

"Rox, it's alright," he whispered, barely loud enough above the rain. "You can't help now. Nothing can." He watched the boy shake his head vehemently and, despite everything, allowed a small smile to stretch over his face.

"I'm just glad I got to see you again. If I have to go, now...I wouldn't mind so much if I could sit here, with you..."

"Didn't I say not to talk like that?" Roxas snapped, his voice becoming more broken and desperate. As much as it killed him to admit it, things weren't looking good at all. Axel was beginning to feel cold, even with his thick, red fur to protect him. That, and of course, his eyes didn't look very focused anymore. It was as though he was struggling to still see Roxas...

The paw on his face stroked comfortingly, drawing his eyes back to Axel's face easily.

"Just remember, kid...No matter what happens, I'll always love you. You, and only you, forever..."

Those words surprised him and broke his heart all at once. As Roxas's blue eyes widened further, the paw began to slip from his cheek slowly, and the one at his back fell still and lifeless instantly. The young blond reached for the first paw and clung to it tightly, like it was the only solid, stable thing left in the world, and watched miserably as the once bright green slipped away and disappeared, closing forever behind heavy red eyelids.

"Axel...Wait! No! Please don't go!"

But he was gone. There was no response of any kind, not even a light squeeze of the hand holding him, and Roxas bowed his head and let forth a scream of pure agony, letting it ring in the sky loudly over the growing rain.

The servants watched in silence as the blond pitched forward, clinging to Axel's lifeless, hulking form and wept. He sobbed and cried until his voice grew hoarse, and muffled everything by burying his face in the deep red fur once more. The one who had understood him so well, who cherished him as a friend and even grew to love him in time. The beast whose hopes and dreams had gone out to him, and now, even with all his heart brimming with care and sympathy, he could never return.

"Axel...No..." He pressed his face further into the red fur, so close to where his heart should have still been, alive and beating. His voice shook with stress and sadness, but even in his sorrows, the three tiniest words escaped him; soft and right there, only for him to hear, and there they would forever stay, locked in Axel's cold, lifeless heart.

"I love you..."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Soon, the castle had been cleared out of intruders, sending all the townspeople who could make it scrambling back into the forest from whence they came. And, just as soon, the word was spread that Axel had been hurt, and many servants gathered in and around the west wing to mourn him, watching Roxas's trembling form pressed against him and sobbing. The clouds overhead seemed to be breaking a bit, but the rain still came down, uncaring about the scene below as it pattered all around. It was a long time before anyone could be stirred into any kind of motion, for they were all watching Axel, unable to look away.

"Young master." Roxas raised his wet, stinging eyes to look beside him, slowly registering that Luxord was there addressing him calmly. Roxas looked at him blankly, his eyes and face empty of emotions now, and the old clock sighed, speaking patiently.

"Young master. It's cold up here, and nothing else can be done. Perhaps you should move inside..."

Nothing. Roxas continued to stare blankly down at him, not seeming to have registered the question. But just as the clock prepared to speak again, a light from inside the castle captured his attention. The enchanted rose, still sitting on a table visible through the broken window, began to glow brightly, filling the room with a blinding, white light. Demyx jumped back and covered his eyes as several more of the servants yelped and turned away.

At this, some light returned to Roxas's blue eyes, as he watched the light grow brighter and brighter. He vaguely remembered that rose; he also knew it distinctly had to do with Axel's curse. But at the moment, he was having trouble thinking of anyone but Axel.

Suddenly, the now wilted stem of the rose began to speak. It's voice was young and commanding, and echoed loudly in everyone's ears.

"Well done, child. You have taught this foolish man one of the greatest lessons life has to offer. Now, do you wish to save him?"

Roxas nodded dumbly, getting to his feet in a hurry and rushing into the blinding light. He managed to find the remains of the rose easily, and avoided tripping over his friends on the way. He knelt before the enchanted flower, looking humbly up at the pot where it had once stood, tall and red and beautiful like Axel.

"Y-Yes. Please let him live. I beg you..."

Then the rose vanished, and in its place stood a beautiful young woman, dressed in white flowing robes. Her hair was a soft blond, like his own, but cut shorter and down her neck instead of spiked high above her head. Her eyes also matched Roxas's, though not as deep and blue some might argue, and she stood before him, smiling down kindly. She was beautiful indeed, but it was an otherworldly beauty, and something was undoubtably unnerving about it...

"You needn't beg, child. I will restore him for you, so long as you promise to cherish and love him as he does you."

"Oh, I will!" the boy cried, "I will! Thank you so much!"

The enchantress was quiet. She stooped a little, causing Roxas to jump a little when he felt soft, almost tingling fingers running through his hair.

"All thanks should go to you, Roxas. In the end, it was the you who helped him overcame the trials and healed both your hearts. Now you are free to give them to each other..."

The next thing Roxas knew, the light was too bright for his eyes to take. He covered them and trembled slightly, but he didn't miss the soft hand as it left his head, nor the sweet, yet eerie laugh that echoed all around him in the room. When the light began to face again, Roxas heard the strangest sounds; sounds he couldn't even describe, they were so strange. But it was soon over, and he opened his eyes and ears again to hear the sounds of gasps from the servants beside him. They were no longer objects, but fully-grown,fully dressed people; all standing around and staring at themselves in awe. Roxas gaped, seeing Demyx as a tall blond boy with mullet-styled hair, and Luxord, though his hair was whiter, tall and elegantly dressed with a short goatee lining his face.

"G-Guys?"

The servants turned to look at him only briefly. Demyx smiled widely, as his hands ran over his face and the length of his torso and arms. "I'm me again!"

Then came a voice; soft and hoarse, but nonetheless recognizable. "...Roxas?"

The blond's head snapped up.

"Axel!"

Roxas was up again and racing to the window, ignoring everyone else as they observed their newly-returned humanity. When he stepped just outside, though, he stopped. There, instead of a large, hulking red beast, there sat a man, in the ragged clothes Roxas had seen his friend wearing before. This man was young and exceptionally handsome, the chest exposed through the torn shirt revealed lean but relatively well-scultped muscles. He was thin, but not gangly; taller than Roxas, he could tell, but not colossal. And when that handsome face looked away from himself, raising instead to gaze at Roxas, the boy felt his breath hitch.

"Roxas, it's me..." said the man, standing up and walking to him slowly, carefully. "Don't be afraid..."

They stood very close now, unmoving, as Roxas sized up this stranger in front of him. His hair was red and wild, reminding him immediately of the Axel he knew; but it looked even softer now, with only a little bit of tangling here and there. Roxas looked over his face, so much thinner and paler now, and took a bold step forward, touching a cheek hesitantly.

He blinked. The flesh beneath his hand was warm, like Axel always was, and just above two odd little tear drop tattoos were his eyes, that familiar emerald green that gleamed with a new, hopeful light. They watched Roxas intently, longingly, waiting as the realization, and the smile, dawned slowly on the boy's pale face.

Roxas choked on his words. He couldn't believe it. This man really was Axel; tall and thin and undeniably human...

"There...I told you it's me," the redhead said warmly, reaching up to take the hand from his cheek and entwine their fingers together. His were much smaller now, and not remotely beast-like, and best of all to Roxas, they fit perfectly with his.

Axel chuckled warmly, moving one hand to caress Roxas's cheek. He was afraid the boy had frozen, standing there unmoving like that for so long. "...Hi."

Roxas stuttered back, blushing, "H-Hi..."

Feeling his heart swell with joy, he couldn't take the distance between them any longer. The blond pitched himself forward again, this time throwing his arms around Axel's neck and crushing their lips together wildly. He leaned up on his toes and kissed deeply, forgoing any innocence or sweetness in favor of simply letting the passion flow out. And why should he be reserved? Axel was alive again. His heart was brimming with joy and love, and to see that the man was now free of the curse that had plagued his lonely soul for so many years... Roxas had no words. He put all his feelings of joy and frustration into the kiss, letting it do the talking for him. He knew he was inexperienced, even sloppy no doubt, but Roxas could't bring himself to care. He assumed Axel would get the idea...

Axel, for his part, responded readily, squeezing an arm around the boy's waist to pull him closer and bending down so that Roxas wouldn't have as far to reach. His other hand returned to the boy's pale face, caressing it as he wiped away the tears that were streaming uncontrollably down his cheeks. Small hands tangled in his hair, urging further. His _hair_; no longer the coarse fur that itched so terribly. He felt new life and happiness fill him, knowing that now he could hold Roxas to him and not be scared that he would break him. Now he was the right size again, and the right species for that matter. There was nothing more to fear for either of them.

"Axel..." His love whispered sweet murmurs of pure happiness and want against his lips. "Axel..."

The sun was breaking through the clouds, and there was nothing that would tear them apart again.

* * *

This is not the complete ending! There will be an epilogue that I'll get to you by tomorrow as a Christmas gift. Or gift for whatever holiday you celebrate, if you celebrate one... :) Sorry for the late update, but A) I got sick, B) It's the hectic holiday season and there's cleaning and shopping to get done, and C) I just lost my muse for a minute there. I didn't want to rush it out either. Now as my Christmas gift, review plz! :) Show me some more of that love and tell what you like, don't like, whatever. Just an honest opinion. And happy holidays and winter break to one and all!


	21. 21

A little more romance and closure here. :) Glad you all have liked the story and have supported me up until the very end. I'm sorry for my dragging my feet with chapter updates at times, but the waiting wasn't too bad, right? Here's my last little Christmas gift to you before I sign off and enjoy the holidays. For presents and fun and a nice home-cooked meal with my family. :)

Roxas: Merry Christmas, everybody!

Axel: What he said! *Glomps and drags off behind the corner

* * *

It was a cool night in the forest; the air sunk heavy and low to the ground, causing a slight mist to pass under the shadow of the trees. But no one at the castle felt its chill. No, the servants had all gathered in one of the rooms by the hearth, sitting and chatting and enjoying each other's company.

Demyx sat beside Zexion in a large chair very close to the fire, casting occasional glances over at the dark-haired young man to see what he was reading. Zexion noticed this but said nothing all the while, a small smile gracing his lips as he read on. The mullet-haired boy looked up with a smile as Marluxia came and sat down near them, dressed in warm, elegant clothes with his pink hair tied back in a loose ponytail.

"What a party, eh? I haven't seen anyone this cheerful since Christmas Eve."

Demyx winced a bit, but laughed all the same. That night had been a crushing blow to everyone at first, but now that the curse had ended, it really didn't matter anymore.

"Yeah. It's really something." And it was. The castle was immaculately decorated again with holly and bells and red ribbons everywhere, and the drawing room had certainly not been scorned. A wreath hung from the outside window, billowing in the cool winter wind, and the hearth was sprinkled with holly and hand-carved little figures of angels. The fire was warm and crackling, and everyone balanced out its wonderful warmth with cool drinks of all kinds; all of them festive and frothy and ripe with holiday cheer. Christmas may have ended, but spirits were high tonight, so why shouldn't they celebrate?

"No fair! You're cheating!"

Three heads turned around to a small poker table in the corner, watching a laughing, tipsy Xigbar goad on an angry, drunken Luxord.

"Afraid not. You've busted, my friend. Now it's time to pay up."

"Like hell I will!" slurred the slightly british accent, the blond slamming his fist down on the table. "Let's go again! All in on one round!"

"Nope, I'm out for tonight," laughed the man in the eyepatch, pushing the cards back into a neat pile in his hands.

"Come on! That's not fair!"

The three observers broke into laughter, with Demyx's being the loudest of all. Luxord was all prim and proper most of the time, but was none for being an angry drunk and a impulsive gambler once engaged in drinking. It was a strange contrast, but one that almost everyone knew about, and it brought more laughter and smiles to the table, reminding everyone that things we back to normal again. There would be plenty of more nights to watch Luxord drink himself stupid; more nights now to drink themselves and be merry. With the curse gone and Axel's throne reestablished, the castle could return to its glory once again.

"Good evening, everyone..."

Marluxia and Zexion smiled at a man behind Demyx, and the blond turned around to see old Vexen grabbing a chair for himself, settling in beside them at the fire. The old man was dusty and battered-looking, but smiled readily when greeted by the servants.

"Hey, old man! How's the firewood machine thing doing?"

"Oh, it's alright," he chuckled back, leaning back into the chair and smiling at the eager young man before him. "Still has a few kinks to work out. You know, it's probably good that I never made it to the fair. Now that I've taken some time to look the thing over, I found that it was hardly ready at all!"

Demyx laughed, leaning closer to Zexion and smiling widely. Since the curse had been broken, Roxas's father moved into the castle with all of them as the newly appointed royal inventor. A purely made up title, of course, but Axel seemed to believe his work could be of some use when it came to new renovations and little things that needed to be done around the old place. Without the animated object staff now, people were finding cleaning to take a bit more time than it used to, and one or two of Vexen's inventions had proven to make dusting faster and more efficient for the maids. Encouraged by Roxas, the redhead let him stayed and gave him work now and then. Soon, Vexen had even come to like Axel a bit, pushing most of their earlier encounters under the bridge.

But more often than not, the old man was left to his own devices, and Demyx, ever the curious one, had taken to being one of his assistants, with Zexion as the occasional other.

"Well, it's a good thing you came and tried anyway. Otherwise, we would have never met Roxas or broken our curse at all!"

"Yes," Marluxia added, smiling kindly. "We have you to thank for everything. Now we have a better master than ever before."

"Well, it was all an accident," Vexen replied, coloring a little. "But Roxas seems really happy here, and that's all I really need. I think he's finally found the place where he belongs..."

They all nodded, chattering away as the night wore on and the moon moved high overhead. Everyone laughed as Larxene claimed to poison Luxord's orderves, causing a fight to break out between the two agitated blonds. The servant children played in the foyer and the great hall, some admiring the large Christmas tree while others curled up by the fire and slept. All seemed right with the world, save for the absence of the two men of the hour.

Who, suffice it to say, were preoccupied elsewhere...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Roxas moaned softly as Axel kissed his throat, nipping at the warm skin every now and again to leave the tiniest mark. The two lay, once again, by the fire in the library, with the small blond almost pinned beneath his lover. Feeling light-headed, Roxas arched a bit as the redhead continued to gently explore his throat, the little green velvet book laying long-forgotten on the floor by his side.

"You know..." the younger breathed heavily, his fingers playing over Axel's side slowly. "It's impossible to read when you're so damn distracting..."

"Then stop," came the quick reply, and Roxas felt the front of his shirt loosen and fall away slightly as the kisses moved to just above his collarbone.

"But you're the one who asked me to!" Roxas growled indignantly, pouting even amidst the pleasure coursing through him. He pretended to sigh heavily, a playful little smile turning up at the corners of his lips. "What kind of person gets ravished in a library?"

Axel chuckled at that, causing his skin to tingle slightly. The redhead then stopped his ministrations, moving back up to face him and placing several sweet little kisses onto his forehead, nose, and cheeks.

"Apparently you do."

Roxas blushed brightly as he gazed up, blue eyes lidded and glowing with admiration. He shuddered at the brilliant smile that met his. The fact that Axel could look at him like that, with so much love and desire in his eyes, was breath-taking and exciting and warming all at the same time. Acting on the burning in his heart and body, Roxas leaned up to press his lips to Axel's again, relishing in the tenderness and beauty he had rarely seen, but somehow felt, when he gazed into the eyes of the beast.

But now Axel was human, and there was something there now that hadn't been there before. Roxas found more to love about Axel every single day. And in turn, moved by his feelings, the redhead doted on his beloved consort, never leaving him in want of anything. All the servants were happy and treated them both well, and the people of Beau Soleil didn't bother them again.

Roxas felt so loved whenever Axel held him in his arms; so cherished and wanted, that he never felt unappreciated. Every new day was a joy and a wonder, and Roxas was happy to say that those feelings of being out of place and alone were long gone. Finally now, after all his worries, he was home.


End file.
